Quantifying the Distribution of Racial Inequalities in COVID-19 Mortality in the United States

Abstract

As of August 31, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has killed over 183,000 people in the United States (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2020). The pandemic has disproportionately affected racial minorities across the United States. It is well established in the United States that, due to structural racism in many forms, racial minorities suffer large health disparities as compared to White populations. As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded, tracking these disparities is paramount for continuing to advocate for targeted interventions and increased resources for vulnerable populations. In this study, the distribution of racial inequalities in COVID-19 mortality is quantified, as well as the variation in disparities across age groups and locations. Using publicly available data from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this study finds high and significant relative risks of mortality for racial and ethnic minorities as compared to the non-Hispanic White population in the United States. At the national level, the age-standardized risks total 3.46 (3.41-3.51) for the non-Hispanic Black group, 3.01 (2.97-3.07) for the Hispanic and Latino group, 2.48 (2.31-2.64) for the non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native group, and 1.58 (1.53 – 1.63) for the Non-Hispanic Asian group. Relative risks vary across age groups, with especially high risks for younger age groups, and across locations, with significantly higher than the national relative risks in certain locations for each race/ethnicity group. This analysis makes clear the need for more racially-stratified data and continued monitoring of disparities over time as the pandemic continues.