Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

April 28, 2021

Actual Racial/Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Mortality for the Non-Hispanic Black Compared to Non-Hispanic White Population in 35 US States and Their Association with Structural Racism

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  • A study using CDC data to examine COVID-19 mortality rates for non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic Black populations across US states found that structural racism was associated with increased mortality in Black populations. Using a state-level index of structural racism and adjusting for age, each standard deviation increase in the racism index was associated with a 0.26 increase in the ratio of COVID-19 morality rates among Black compared to white populations. The authors note that crude death rate ratios may result in substantial underestimation of the true disparities in COVID-19 mortality, and that structural racism should be considered a root cause of the COVID-19 mortality disparity by race. 

Siegel et al. (Apr 27, 2021). Actual Racial/Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Mortality for the Non-Hispanic Black Compared to Non-Hispanic White Population in 35 US States and Their Association with Structural Racism. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-021-01028-1