The aim of this study was to estimate and compare the age-specific and sex-adjusted case-fatality rates (CFRs) among Arab Americans to Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White, and Asian adults living in Michigan. Data from Michigan’s vital records, surveillance data (March 2020-July 2021), and an Arab/Chaldean surname algorithm were used. We used χ2 tests to determine statistically significant differences between groups. Logistic regression was used to estimate age-specific and sex-adjusted CFRs. Arab Americans had a lower CFR of 1.54% compared with Asian (1.97%), non-Hispanic White (2.17%), and non-Hispanic Black adults (3.36%), regardless of sex. For those 80 years of age or older, Arab American (30.72%) and Asian adults (31.47%) had higher CFR compared with the other racial or ethnic groups, with non-Hispanic White adults displaying a lower CFR of 18.28%. An Arab American ethnic identifier would likely increase the visibility of this population so that they can be included in the efforts to increase awareness, testing, and prevention strategies of COVID-19 or similar pandemics that might be facing us in the future.
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Winter 2025
ORIGINAL REPORT|
March 17 2025
COVID-19 Case-Fatality Rates in Michigan Are Higher for Arab Americans Compared With Non-Hispanic White Individuals for the Oldest Age Groups
Florence J. Dallo, PhD, MPH;
1School of Health Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, MI
Address correspondence to Florence J. Dallo, PhD, MPH; School of Health Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, MI. [email protected]
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Tiffany B. Kindratt, PhD, MPH;
Tiffany B. Kindratt, PhD, MPH
2Public Health Program, Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health, Innovation University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
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Randell Seaton, MPH;
Randell Seaton, MPH
3Department of Oncology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
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Julie J. Ruterbusch, MPH
Julie J. Ruterbusch, MPH
3Department of Oncology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
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Ethnicity and Disease (2025) 35 (1): 35–40.
Citation
Florence J. Dallo, Tiffany B. Kindratt, Randell Seaton, Julie J. Ruterbusch; COVID-19 Case-Fatality Rates in Michigan Are Higher for Arab Americans Compared With Non-Hispanic White Individuals for the Oldest Age Groups. Ethnicity and Disease 1 March 2025; 35 (1): 35–40. doi: https://doi.org/10.18865/EthnDis-2023-82
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