Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Outpatient Treatment of COVID-19 ― United States, January–July 2022

• Published in: MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report 2022-10, Vol.71 (43), p.1359-1365
• Main Authors: Boehmer, Tegan K, Koumans, Emily H, Skillen, Elizabeth L, Kappelman, Michael D, Carton, Thomas W, Patel, Aditiben, August, Euna M, Bernstein, Ryan, Denson, Joshua L, Draper, Christine, Gundlapalli, Adi V, Paranjape, Anuradha, Puro, Jon, Rao, Preetika, Siegel, David A, Trick, William E, Walker, Chastity L, Block, Jason P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age groups; Cancer therapies; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 diagnostic tests; Cultural differences; Electronic health records; Ethnicity; Health care; Hispanic Americans; Minority & ethnic groups; Monoclonal antibodies; Pandemics; Patients; Public health; Race; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Steroids
• ISSN: 0149-2195; 1545-861X
• DOI: 10.15585/MMWR.MM7143A2

What is already known about this topic? Outpatient medications are effective at preventing severe COVID-19 and are important to pandemic mitigation. Paxlovid is the most commonly prescribed medication and the preferred outpatient therapeutic for eligible patients. What is added by this report? Racial and ethnic disparities persisted in outpatient COVID-19 treatment through July 2022. During April–July 2022, the percentage of COVID-19 patients aged ≥20 years treated with Paxlovid was 36% and 30% lower among Black and Hispanic patients than among White and non-Hispanic patients, respectively. These disparities existed among all age groups and patients with immunocompromise. What are the implications for public health practice? Expansion of programs to increase awareness of and access to available outpatient COVID-19 treatments can help protect persons at high risk for severe illness and facilitate equitable health outcomes.