April 12, 2021

Trends in Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Hospitalizations, by Region — United States, March – December 2020

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Public Health Policy and Practice

Keywords (Tags): disparities, public health

• Based on hospitalization discharge data from each of the four US census regions, the age-adjusted COVID-19 proportionate hospitalization ratios (aPHRs) were highest for Hispanic or Latino patients (range 2.7-3.9) relative to non-Hispanic white patients. Racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 hospitalization were largest during May–July 2020, and while aPHRs declined for most racial and ethnic groups during July–November 2020, they increased for some racial and ethnic groups in some regions in December. These disparities became less pronounced over the course of the pandemic, as COVID-19 hospitalizations increased among non-Hispanic white persons.

Romano et al. (2021). Trends in Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Hospitalizations, by Region — United States, March – December 2020. MMWR. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7015e2.htm