The intersection of Black women, COVID, and death rates: The narrative about sex differences and COVID-19 overshadows alarming facts
Publication information:
Rushovich, Tamara, and Sarah S. Richardson. “The Intersection of Black Women, COVID, and Death Rates: The Narrative about Sex Differences and COVID-19 Overshadows Alarming Facts”. The Boston Globe, 2021.
Abstract
Headlines like “Battle of the Sexes Against COVID-19” frame sex disparities in COVID-19 outcomes as a matter of essential biological differences between the sexes. Our findings support a contrary view, that biological factors at best play a small role. Rather, social factors influenced by structural gendered racism are key to the patterns of sex disparities revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings caution against public health messaging emphasizing a higher COVID-19 risk among men that does not also include social context.