SAMHSA releases issue brief on the Impact of COVID-19 on Black and Latino Communities

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has revealed deep-seated inequities in health care for communities of color and amplifies social and economic factors that contribute to poor health outcomes. Recent news reports indicate that the pandemic disproportionately impacts communities of color, compounding longstanding racial disparities. As of April 15, 2020, case data from CDC show that in COVID-19 cases where race was specified, Blacks, who comprise 13 percent of the total U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018), make up 30 percent of COVID-19 cases; Latinos, who make up 18 percent of the population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018), account for 17 percent of COVID-19 cases. Read more