COVID-19 and Mental Health: Comparing Mental Health Between African Americans & Whites in 2019 and 2020 (During COVID-19) in the U.S.

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Khulud Khudur, DrPH(c), Dr. Mian Hossain, TL1 Advisor, Dr. Som Saha

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Background: Although African Americans make up roughly 13 percent of the U.S. population, they account for one in three people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19 and 3.7 times more likely to succumb to COVID-related deaths than Whites. The CDC reports that African Americans are dying at more than twice the rate of other races. For many reasons, African Americans are at an elevated risk of COVID-19 exposure and related hospitalization and death. COVID-19 pandemic has further unveiled the distressful reality of racial disparity in the United States. African Americans are bearing a disproportionate burden of morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19. In many cities like Chicago, although African Americans are only 30% of the population, they make up more than 50% of COVID-19 cases and about 70% of COVID-19 deaths. 1 COVID-19 health and economic consequences have a detrimental effect on mental health,2 particularly among African Americans.3 According to Kaiser Health News report, compared with the rest of the population, African American adults are 20% more likely to experience mental health issues.

Systemic racism exacerbates the adverse impacts of social determinants of health, causing racial health disparities in African Americans.2 African Americans are more susceptible to contract COVID-19 due to systemic racism that historically carved out the type of work they are obliged to perform including deliberate neighborhood and school segregation policies which currently explain their increased work place and environmental exposure to COVID-19 infection. As a result, a greater proportion of African Americans now suffer from the stress, anxiety and depression engendered by COVID-19.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare the mental health of African Americans to Whites during 2019 and 2020 using the a National Survey on Drug Use and Mental Health (NSDUMH). Research Question: Are African Americans Adults more likely than Whites to have Mental health issues in the last year 2019 (before COVID-19 pandemic) and during 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: Secondary data analysis from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The data consisted of 55,772 observations, 3,090 variables. Results: Pending results

Conclusion: The results from this study can inform policies and support fund mental health agencies in addressing mental health now more than ever.

Keywords: COVID-19 vaccine; Mental Health; Coronavirus.