Top 5 Takeaways

1. Significant Decrease in Disparities: From 2020 to 2021, disparities in age-adjusted death rates (AADR) from COVID-19 decreased significantly by 14.0%–40.2% for most racial and ethnic groups.
2. Non-Hispanic White Persons: This group accounted for 59.6%–65.2% of all COVID-19 decedents, showing a significant reduction in AADR disparities.
3. Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Persons: AADR disparities increased nonsignificantly by 7.2% for this group, which constituted 0.2%–0.3% of all decedents.
4. Overall Increase in COVID-19 Deaths: Total COVID-19 deaths increased from 350,831 in 2020 to 411,465 in 2021, with crude death rates rising from 106.5 to 124.9 per 100,000 population.
5. Need for Effective Interventions: Providing effective preventive interventions, including vaccination and clinical care, proportionate to community needs is essential to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 deaths.

Original Article Author and Citation

Corresponding Author

Benedict I. Truman, bit1@cdc.gov

Suggested Citation

Truman BI, Chang M, Moonesinghe R. Provisional COVID-19 Age-Adjusted Death Rates, by Race and Ethnicity — United States, 2020–2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:601-605. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7117e2

Summary

This report analyzes changes in COVID-19-related age-adjusted death rates (AADRs) by race and ethnicity in the United States from 2020 to 2021. The study found significant decreases in AADR disparities among most racial and ethnic groups, with the largest reductions observed in non-Hispanic Black or African American (40.2%) and non-Hispanic Asian (37.6%) persons. Despite these improvements, large disparities in AADR by race and ethnicity persisted in 2021.

Methods

The study utilized U.S. provisional mortality data from death certificates collected by the CDC’s National Vital Statistics System (NVSS). COVID-19 deaths were defined using ICD-10 code U07.1. Age-adjusted death rates and their standard errors were calculated using CDC WONDER data. Statistical analyses, including Pearson’s chi-square tests and Z-tests, were performed using SAS software to assess changes in AADR ratios with 95% confidence intervals.

Discussion

The findings highlight the impact of preventive interventions, such as vaccination, on reducing racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 deaths. However, the study also notes that disparities remained significant in 2021. The report emphasizes the need for continued efforts to deliver preventive interventions proportionate to community needs to further reduce these disparities.

Conclusion

While significant progress has been made in reducing racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 age-adjusted death rates, ongoing efforts are necessary to address the remaining disparities. Effective preventive interventions, including vaccination and clinical care, must be provided to all communities based on their specific needs.

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