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Age-adjusted COVID-19 Mortality Rates by Demographic Groups

Abstract: A noteworthy aspect of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic is the disproportionate effect of the virus on people of different age groups. The elderly have a higher risk of mortality than working-age adults, and they also face a higher mortality risk than children (CDC, 2020). Figure 1 shows the monthly age-specific crude mortality rates (CMRs) by age group for the United States during 2020 and 2021. One can see that the mortality rates of children (0 to 17 years) and young adults (18 to 29 years) are essentially flat, with 1 death per million children and at most 14 deaths per million young adults. The mortality rate of intermediate adults (30 to 49 years) is somewhat higher, as is the mortality rate of older adults (50 to 64 years). However, the figure illustrates the striking disparity between the mortality rate of elderly adults (65 years or older) and the rest of the population, including children: The mortality rate of the elderly peaked at 1,577 deaths per million in January 2021. The mortality rate for the overall population is the population-weighted average of the rates across all five age groups.

https://doi.org/10.26509/frbc-ddb-20220323

Bibliographic Information

Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Source: Cleveland Fed District Data Brief

Publication Date: 2022-03-23

Number: 20220323