Indiana's Black Death Rates from COVID-19, Institutional Sources of Disparity

Abstract

COVID-19 has resulted in a disproportionate number of deaths among black, Hispanic/Latinx, and indigenous Americans across the nation. Where data is available for various states and cities, these groups consistently experience worse outcomes. This trend holds true for Indiana’s black residents. On April 13, 2020, the Indiana State Department of Health began including racial/ethnic demographics of diagnosed cases and deaths in its online dashboard. On that date, black Hoosiers comprised about 10 percent of Indiana’s population, but 20 percent of COVID-19 deaths. This brief looks beyond differences in racial health disparities to understand the structural and social sources for these trends.