- Posted
- September 03, 2020
HPIO analysis finds COVID-19 impact greater for Ohioans of color
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) -- Analysis of Ohio COVID-19 data by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio found that the pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on Ohioans of color.
Black/African-American Ohioans make up about 13% of the state’s population but account for larger percentages of COVID-19 cases (22.8%), hospitalizations (30.6%) and deaths (18.7%), while white Ohioans make up about 82% of the state’s population, but account for smaller percentages of COVID19 cases (53.1%), hospitalizations (56.9%) and deaths (77.5%).
As of Aug. 29, 2020, Hispanic Ohioans were also overrepresented in COVID-19 cases (6.3%) and hospitalizations (5.9%) relative to the percent of the state population (4%) but underrepresented in deaths (2.2%).
Based on currently available data, some counties in Ohio experience particularly high disparities. HPIO has compiled county-level data tables that provide COVID-19 cases for race and ethnic groups in Ohio counties. The tables also include estimates of the percent of total county population by race and ethnicity for Ohio counties and the ratio of COVID-19 cases to county population for race and ethnic groups with 10 or more reported cases.
A major limitation for fully assessing the impact of racial and ethnic disparities across the state is the high percentage of cases with unknown race/ethnicity data. In Ohio, on average, 13% of cases in each county are listed as “unknown” for race. Without complete counts of race and ethnicity for those who test positive for COVID-19, it is difficult to measure the full impact of racial and ethnic disparities.
“Strengthened data collection and reporting will be critical to eliminating COVID-19 disparities and advancing the health and wellbeing of all Ohioans,” said HPIO President Amy Rohling McGee.
The latest data brief from HPIO follows the recently released “COVID-19 in Ohio: August update,” which explores the status of COVID-19 testing, compares deaths of Ohioans with COVID-19 to other leading causes of death and describes the longer-term health impacts of COVID-19 illness.
For any questions about the brief, or if you would like to talk to the authors, please call or text Nick Wiselogel at 614.530.9918 or email nwiselogel@hpio.net.
