Socio-economic effects on heart disease death in new jersey before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. In this study, we examined the socio-economic effects on heart-disease related deaths among the elderly in New Jersey across three time periods: before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We developed statistical learning models to analyze the impact of socio-economic factors on heart disease deaths in three age groups: 65-74, 75-84, and 85 and older. The variables we considered included food and health resources, poverty rate, urbanization levels, and population density. Our findings indicate that socio-economic factors significantly influence heart disease mortality among the elderly. Specifically, we observed that the death rate decreases with an increasing number of pharmacies and fitness centers, while it rises with a greater number of fast-food restaurants. Additionally, these effects vary among the different age groups across the three study periods. This study could inform public health policies aimed at reducing mortality due to heart disease.