A major Houston health care system saw a significant increase in younger and Hispanic COVID-19 patients from the first surge to the second surge after Texas phased in reopening. Houston Methodist is the first to share such demographics in a peer-reviewed journal, publishing this analysis in a Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Letter (online Aug. 13). The study shows that Houston Methodist reported a marked increase in Hispanic and younger COVID-19 patients between the first and second surges. Across the hospital system's eight locations, the number of Hispanic patients admitted for COVID-19 increased from nearly 26% to more than 43%. The data for Surge 2 (May 16-July 7) also revealed a demographic shift of the pandemic toward a younger and lower socio-economic patient population. The findings in the Houston Methodist research may help other health care organizations better prepare for surges and be a guide for managing hospital resources.
