Racial Disparities in Non-COVID-19 Deaths in the U.S.

Excess deaths from causes other than COVID-19 were two- to fourfold higher among Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Latino persons than those who were white or Asian.

The disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on communities of color has been well documented (MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021; 70:1114) and attributed to multiple factors such as increased occupational exposure and disparities in access to care. Now, investigators used CDC death certificate data and Census Bureau population estimates to assess excess death rates by race and ethnicity due to both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 causes during the first 10 months of the pandemic.

Between March and December of 2020, 477,200 more deaths occurred than predicted based on 2019 data. Of these, 351,400 (74%) were directly attributed to COVID-19. Age-standardized COVID-19 excess deaths per 100,000 persons were at least twofold higher among Black, Lat…

Reviewing Author

Daniel Kaul, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNobelpharma; Pfizer

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Transplantation (Program Committee)

Daniel Kaul, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNobelpharma; Pfizer

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Transplantation (Program Committee)

Racial Disparities in Non-COVID-19 Deaths in the U.S.

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Reviewing Author