MI CReSS Data Reports

Michigan COVID-19 Recovery Surveillance Study Data Report 2: Black-White Differences in Access to Care, Recovery, and the Social Impact of COVID-19 - January 29, 2021

Black COVID-19 survivors had a more severe disease course than White respondents. More Black than White respondents reported severe or very severe symptoms (72.9% vs. 60.5%) or required an overnight hospital stay (45.4% vs. 27.9%).
Black respondents reported poorer experiences than White respondents when attempting to access COVID-19 care.
- 8.7% of Black respondents believed their experiences seeking healthcare were worse than people from other races, while 18.9% of White respondents believed their experiences were better than people from other races.
- 10.6% of Black respondents (vs. 1.6% of White respondents) reported that their COVID-19 testing or treatment made them feel emotionally upset due to how they were treated based on their race.
More Black respondents reported increased social stressors since the start of the pandemic, with 25.6% being unable to pay important bills like mortgage, rent, or utilities (vs. 10.3% of White respondents).
More Black respondents (23.0%) were afraid to disclose their COVID-19 status to their friends or family than White respondents (9.8%).