- Posted
- December 16, 2020
More Black/African American Ohioans have died with COVID-19 in 2020 than most leading causes in 2019
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – New analysis by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio has found that more Black/African American Ohioans have died with COVID-19 this year than from most leading causes of death in 2019, including any specific type of cancer, stroke, diabetes and unintentional drug overdose deaths (click here for a graphic).
Between March 17 and Dec. 15, 1,065 Black/African American Ohioans died with COVID-19. In 2019, 790 died of stroke or other cerebrovascular diseases and 639 died from trachea, bronchus and lung cancer, the type of cancer responsible for the most deaths. COVID-19 deaths currently rank fourth among leading causes of death compared to 2019 data, behind heart disease (3,355 deaths), all cancers combined (2,677 deaths) and unintentional injury (1,127, including drug overdose deaths, motor vehicle crashes and other accidents).
A major limitation to fully assessing the impact of racial and ethnic disparities across the state is the high percentage of deaths with unknown race/ethnicity data. HPIO analysis earlier this month found that deaths with unknown race have significantly increased since early September. Between Sept. 9 and Dec. 15, the percentage of COVID-19 deaths with unknown race increased from 1% to 5% (378 people).
“While data limitations make it difficult to accurately assess the magnitude of racial disparities in COVID-19, this data is deeply troubling,” said HPIO President Amy Rohling McGee. “It is clear that the pandemic has had severe impacts on African American Ohioans.”
For any questions about the analysis, or if you would like to talk with HPIO President Amy Rohling McGee or HPIO Director of Data Management and Analysis Zach Reat, please call or text Nick Wiselogel at 614.530.9918 or email nwiselogel@hpio.net.
