COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality Among American Indian/Alaska Native and White Persons - Montana, March 13-November 30, 2020

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2021 Apr 9;70(14):510-513. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7014a2.

Abstract

Geographic differences in infectious disease mortality rates have been observed among American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons in the United States (1), and aggregate analyses of data from selected U.S. states indicate that COVID-19 incidence and mortality are higher among AI/AN persons than they are among White persons (2,3). State-level data could be used to identify disparities and guide local efforts to reduce COVID-19-associated incidence and mortality; however, such data are limited. Reports of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases and COVID-19-associated deaths reported to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (MDPHHS) were analyzed to describe COVID-19 incidence, mortality, and case-fatality rates among AI/AN persons compared with those among White persons. During March-November 2020 in Montana, the estimated cumulative COVID-19 incidence among AI/AN persons (9,064 cases per 100,000) was 2.2 times that among White persons (4,033 cases per 100,000).* During the same period, the cumulative COVID-19 mortality rate among AI/AN persons (267 deaths per 100,000) was 3.8 times that among White persons (71 deaths per 100,000). The AI/AN COVID-19 case-fatality rate (29.4 deaths per 1,000 COVID-19 cases) was 1.7 times the rate in White persons (17.0 deaths per 1,000). State-level surveillance findings can help in developing state and tribal COVID-19 vaccine allocation strategies and assist in local implementation of culturally appropriate public health measures that might help reduce COVID-19 incidence and mortality in AI/AN communities.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alaska Natives / statistics & numerical data*
  • American Indian or Alaska Native / statistics & numerical data*
  • COVID-19 / ethnology*
  • COVID-19 / mortality*
  • Female
  • Health Status Disparities*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Montana / epidemiology
  • Mortality / ethnology
  • White People / statistics & numerical data*
  • Young Adult