Disparities observed in mortality during COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) period, excess mortality occurred in all racial and ethnic groups, but disparities were observed, according to a study published online Oct. 11 in JAMA Network Open.

Jeremy Samuel Faust, M.D., from Mass General Brigham in Boston, and colleagues characterized overall and age-specific all-cause excess mortality by race and ethnicity during the COVID-19 PHE in a cross-sectional study. Data was included for all U.S. residents and decedents during the COVID-19 PHE period (March 2020 to May 2023).

The researchers found that during the pandemic, there were more than 1.38 million all-cause excess deaths (observed-to-expected ratio, 1.15), corresponding to approximately 23 million years of potential life lost (YPLL). For the total population (all ages), the racial and ethnic groups with the highest observed-to-expected mortality ratios were the American Indian or Alaska Native and Hispanic populations (1.34 and 1.31, respectively). Higher ratios were observed in the U.S. population aged 25 to 64 years (1.20) and were greatest among American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander groups (1,45, 1.40, and 1.39, respectively).

The Black population accounted for 51.1% of excess mortality in those younger than 25 years, despite representing 13.8% of the population. More than 252,000 (18.3 percent) fewer excess deaths and more than 5.2 million (22.3 percent) fewer YPLL would have occurred if the rate of excess mortality observed among the white population had been observed in the total population.

“The need to address the conditions that create health disparities—before the next public health crisis—is evident,” the authors write.

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