Study shows Black Americans experience significantly higher mortality rates than White Americans.

A new study published in JAMA Network Open found that excess deaths among Black people in the US increased in 2020, reversing years of progress in reducing the gap in mortality compared to White people. The study, based on death certificate data from 1999 to 2020, showed that Covid-19 contributed to the higher rate of excess deaths among Black people. Disparities in deaths from heart disease were the largest driver of differences in excess deaths between Black and White people. The study highlights continued disparities in mortality rates and potential years of life lost among Black and White populations in the United States, which are a function of structural racism in society.