Coronavirus (COVID-19) Minority Children Are More Likely to Die From COVID-19 By Christin Perry Christin Perry Christin Perry is a freelance writer and editor. Her work has been published in The Bump, The Knot, Scary Mommy, LittleThings, Parents, Qeepsake, and more. She has experience writing email marketing campaigns, website copy, and SEO-optimized content. Christin is also a mom of three. Learn about our editorial process Updated on May 23, 2022 Fact checked by Andrea Rice Fact checked by Andrea Rice Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Andrea Rice is an award-winning journalist and a freelance writer, editor, and fact-checker specializing in health and wellness. Learn about our editorial process Print HRAUN / Getty Images Key Takeaways Most of the kids under 18 who have died from COVID-19 have been Black, Hispanic, or Native American.This grim statistic highlights racial disparities in the U.S. healthcare system.33% of juvenile COVID deaths occurred outside of a hospital setting, likely due to an inability to afford proper health care. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that Black, Hispanic, and Native American children represent the majority of COVID deaths in the United States within that demographic. Though COVID-19 is typically less severe for kids under the age of 21 than it is for older age groups, the recent CDC data suggests that among the children who have died of COVID, 78% were Black, Hispanic, or Native American. These findings reflect the broader disparities experienced by racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. healthcare system. “While Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native youth under 21 years of age make up only 41% of the U.S. population, they comprised over 75% of all pediatric COVID-19 deaths,” says Elisa Song MD, a holistic pediatrician, pediatric functional medicine expert, and founder of Whole Family Wellness in Belmont, California. Study Findings Of the 121 juvenile COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. through the end of July 2020, roughly 45% were Hispanic, 29% were Black, and 4% were Native American. These figures are staggering, particularly when considered as a total, and signify a great cause for concern. “The racial disparities that the pandemic has brought to light on so many fronts for our children are unacceptable and tragic, and unfortunately, potentially deadly,” says Dr. Song. Elisa Song, MD While Black, Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native youth under 21 years of age make up only 41% of the US population, they comprised over 75% of all pediatric COVID-19 deaths. — Elisa Song, MD A Multi-Faceted Issue According to the CDC report, “Disparities in social determinants of health, such as crowded living conditions, food and housing insecurity, wealth and educational gaps, and racial discrimination, likely contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 and MIS-C incidence and outcomes.” Poor Access to Health Care Not everyone enjoys regular, affordable access to medical care in the U.S., and poor access to health care is one of the biggest issues faced by minority groups. This can lead to life-long problems like shorter life spans, higher rates of diabetes, and other chronic health issues. In addition, it can lead to lower rates of beneficial childhood vaccinations. Lack of access to health care is also instrumental in the COVID-19 pandemic as well, where more than one-third of Black, Hispanic, and Native American deaths in people under the age of 21 occurred outside of a hospital setting, according to the report. “It’s possible that this was due to lack of access to health care, health insurance, and avoidance of going to the hospital during the pandemic,” says Jennifer Haythe, MD, co-director of the Women's Heart Center and director of the cardiac-obstetric program at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Black Women Suffer Most From Restrictive Reproduction Policies, Study Shows Underlying Medical Conditions Another factor that played heavily into the disproportionate number of minorities represented among all juvenile fatalities from COVID is the fact that more than 75% of them had an underlying medical condition. The most common were asthma and obesity. Jennifer Haythe, MD Children living in poverty and in low socioeconomic conditions are disproportionately affected by obesity, asthma, diabetes, and hypertension, all of which may contribute to more severe outcomes of COVID-19 illness. — Jennifer Haythe, MD For years, Black and Hispanic children have experienced higher rates of obesity than their white counterparts. And according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH): “Being overweight can create dramatic health consequences for young people, such as increased risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, as well as a myriad of other problems such as stress, sadness, and low self-esteem.” This creates a dangerous situation when it comes to the COVID pandemic. Haythe says, “Children living in poverty and in low socioeconomic conditions are disproportionately affected by obesity, asthma, diabetes, and hypertension, all of which may contribute to more severe outcomes of COVID-19 illness.” What This Means for You Addressing the issues surrounding systemic racism in U.S. healthcare is a first step at stemming the tide of higher fatalities related to the pandemic. “Providing better access to affordable or free health care, clean and stable living conditions, and education about healthy food choices and diet and exercise are crucial to ensuring the health and wellness of racial minorities,” says Dr. Haythe. What to Know About Children and Coronavirus The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page. 9 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Bixler D, Miller AD, Mattison CP, et al. SARS-CoV-2–associated deaths among persons aged <21 Years — United States, February 12–July 31, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69:1324–1329. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6937e4 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Disparities in healthcare quality among racial and ethnic groups. Spanakis EK, Golden SH. Race/ethnic difference in diabetes and diabetic complications. Curr Diab Rep. 2013;13(6):814-823. doi:10.1007/s11892-013-0421-9 Firebaugh G, Acciai F, Noah AJ, Prather C, Nau C. Why lifespans are more variable among blacks than among whites in the United States. Demography. 2014;51(6):2025-2045. doi:10.1007/s13524-014-0345-2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reduction of racial/ethnic disparities in vaccination coverage. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People with certain medical conditions. Levine JA. Poverty and obesity in the U.S. Diabetes. 2011;60(11):2667-2668. doi:10.2337/db11-1118 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Childhood obesity facts | Overweight & obesity. National Institutes of Health. Overweight in African American youth. By Christin Perry Christin Perry is a freelance writer and editor. Her work has been published in The Bump, The Knot, Scary Mommy, LittleThings, Parents, Qeepsake, and more. She has experience writing email marketing campaigns, website copy, and SEO-optimized content. Christin is also a mom of three. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit