Health Care Disparities

COVID-19: Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Hospitalizations Identified

Individuals who are Black, Hispanic, American Indian and/or Alaskan Native have significantly increased odds of hospitalization due to COVID-19 compared with White individuals in the United States, according to new findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine.1

“The unique clinical, financial and social impacts of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic populations that are often systematically marginalized in our society must be well understood in order to design and establish effective and equitable infrastructure solutions,” said lead study author Pinar Karaca-Mandic, PhD, professor and academic director of the Medical Industry Leadership Institute in the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, in a press release.2

The researchers arrived at their conclusion after analyzing data from the University of Minnesota COVID-19 Hospitalization Tracking Project on the 12 states that had reported the race/ethnicity of patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 between April 30, 2020, and June 24, 2020. The 12 states were Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

During the study period, 48,788 cumulative hospitalizations for COVID-19 among 66,796,666 patients were recorded among the 12 states included in the study. Overall, the proportion of hospitalized White patients in each state was significantly smaller compared with their population representation in each state. For Black patients, however, the proportion of hospitalizations had exceeded their population representation in each state. The states with the greatest disparities in hospitalizations of Black patients compared with White patients were:

  • Ohio (31.8% vs 13.0%)
  • Minnesota (24.9% vs 6.8%)
  • Indiana (28.1% vs 9.8%)
  • Kansas (22.0% vs 6.1%)


Ten states had reported race/ethnicity data for Asian Americans who had been hospitalized due to COVID-19. Among Asian Americans, the researchers found that the proportion of hospitalizations was lower in comparison with their population representation in each state.

Although only 8 states had reported race/ethnicity data for American Indians and Alaskan Natives, the researchers observed significant racial/ethnic disparities in COVID-19 hospitalizations in certain states. The proportion of hospitalizations among American Indians and Alaskan Natives was significantly higher compared with their population representation in each state.

“Our findings highlight the need for increased data reporting and consistency within and across all states,” said study co-author Archelle Georgiou, MD, chief health officer at Starkey Hearing Technologies in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. “The fact that only 12 of 50 states report this type of information clearly shows there is more to learn about why non-whites are being hospitalized at such higher rates than whites.”2

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

  1. Karaca-Mandic P, Georgiou A, Sen S. Assessment of COVID-19 hospitalizations by race/ethnicity in 12 states. JAMA Intern Med. Published online August 17, 2020. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.3857
  2. Research brief: COVID-19 hospitalizations analysis shows significant disparities in the disease’s impact across racial and ethnic groups. News release. University of Minnesota. August 17, 2020. https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/research-brief-covid-19-hospitalizations-analysis-shows-significant-disparities-diseases