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COVID-19

COVID-19 Mortality in European Regions: Insights from Novel Epidemiological Risk Index

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers have published a new report on the spread and severity of COVID-19 within European regions, highlighting significant differences in the number of infected persons and mortality rates across regions. The study, conducted by investigators from the University Rovira i Virgili, proposes a novel "Epidemiological Risk Index" to better explain pandemic mortality in European regions. This index takes into account environmental quality, global interaction, health system infrastructure, and population characteristics. The study's findings emphasize the importance of epidemiological factors in addition to development factors in explaining the severity of COVID-19.

Key Takeaways:

  • The spread and severity of COVID-19 within European regions have been highly heterogeneous, with significant differences in both the number of infected persons and mortality across regions.
  • The novel "Epidemiological Risk Index" proposed in the study includes environmental quality, global interaction, health system infrastructure, and population characteristics to provide a better explanation of pandemic mortality in European regions.
  • The study deals with spatial interdependence in COVID-19 mortality by using spatial lagged covariates and Geographical Weighted Regressions.
  • The research concludes that the findings call attention to the influence of epidemiological factors in addition to purely development factors in explaining the severity of COVID-19.
  • The study was partially funded by the SGR program (ECONEXT 2021 SGR 00729) of the Catalan Government, the Spanish Government (TED2021-130835B-I00), and the EU ("Next Generation EU"/PRTR") and by PID2020-119152G, SGR program, Catalan Government, Spanish Government, European Union (EU).
  • The research has been peer-reviewed and published in The Annals of Regional Science.

Statistics:

  • The number of infected persons and mortality rates across European regions vary significantly, with differences in illness severity and outcomes.
  • The study proposes a new approach to understanding and analyzing COVID-19 mortality using the Epidemiological Risk Index.
  • The study was funded by a total of four sources, including the Catalan Government, Spanish Government, European Union, and Catalan Government again.

Sources:

  • Defining an 'Epidemiological Risk Index' To Analyse Covid-19 Mortality Across European Regions (The Annals of Regional Science, 2024; 73(1): 87-109).
  • NewsRx. New Findings Reported from University Rovira i Virgili Describe Advances in COVID-19 (Defining an 'epidemiological Risk Index' To Analyse Covid-19 Mortality Across European Regions) (Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA, August 17, 2025; p 289).

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