Social and economic disadvantages, reinforced by racism, are causing unequal outcomes for Black older adults during the pandemic.
African Americans ages 65 to 74 were 5 times as likely to die of COVID-19 than whites, according to a recent analysis by Kaiser Health News. The death rate for Black Americans in the 75-to-84 group was 3.5 times greater than for white Americans. Black elders who were 85 and older died twice as often as white elders in this age group.
In all 3 age groups, death rates for Hispanic elders were higher than for white older adults, but lower than for Black older adults.
The analysis was based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention covering the period from Jan. 26 through Aug. 8. The unequal COVID-19 outcomes were due to social and economic disadvantage, reinforced by racism, according to the report. For example, Black older adults face the following challenges:
- Poor health care: African Americans, on average, have poorer access to health careand receive services of lower quality than do the general population.
- More chronic conditions: Starting in middle age, African Americans develop more chronic medical conditions, which worsen over time and cause earlier deaths. Several conditions—including diabetes, chronic kidney disease, obesity, heart failure, and pulmonary hypertension—put Black older adults at heightened risk of becoming seriously ill and dying from COVID-19.
- Distrust of government: Many vulnerable Black older adults are deeply distrustful of government and health care institutions, complicating efforts to mitigate the pandemic’s impact.
- Fewer resources: Black older adults have fewer financial resources to draw on and their communities have fewer health-related assets, including grocery stores and organizations that provide aging services. Housing circumstances can also contribute to the risk of COVID-19 infection.
- Increased stress: Racism-related stress, revived each time racism becomes manifest, has “deleterious consequences to physical and mental health,” according to the report.
- Fewer social networks: These networks, which help Black elders feeling connected to other people, are weakening.