Key Points Question Are the higher in-hospital mortality rates for COVID-19 among American Indian and Alaska Native patients compared with other racial groups associated with differences in comorbidity burden? Findings In this cross-sectional study of 18 731 US adults hospitalized with COVID-19 in 2020, American Indian and Alaska Native patients had a lower mean comorbidity risk score compared with the overall patient population, yet they were significantly more likely than patients of all other races to die in the hospital. Increased COVID-19 in-hospital deaths among American Indian and Alaska Native adults were not associated with increased comorbidity experiences in all populations. Meaning These findings suggest that alternative factors contributing to disparate in-hospital mortality rates among Indigenous communities must be investigated further.

Heart disease (HD) remains the leading cause of death among Mississippians; however, despite the importance of the condition, trends in HD mortality in Mississippi have not been adequately explored. This study examined trends in HD mortality among adults in Mississippi from 1980 through 2013 and further examined these trends by race and sex. We used data from Mississippi Vital Statistics (1980–2013) to calculate age-adjusted HD mortality rates for Mississippians age 25 or older. Cases were identified using underlying cause of death codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9: 390–398, 402, 404–429) and Tenth Revision (ICD-10), including I00-I09, I11, I13, and I20-I51. Joinpoint software was used to calculate the average annual percent change in HD mortality rates for the overall population and by race and sex. Overall, the age-adjusted HD mortality rate among Mississippi adults decreased by 36.5% between 1980 and 2013, with an average annual percent change of -1.60% (95% CI -2.00 to -1.30). This trend varied across subgroups: HD mortality rates experienced an average annual change of -1.34% (95% CI -1.98 to -0.69) for black adults; -1.60% (95% CI -1.74 to -1.46) for white adults; -1.30% (95% CI -1.50 to -1.10) for all women, and -1.90% (95% -2.20 to -1.50) for all men. From 1980 to 2013, there was a continuous decrease in HD mortality among adult Mississippians. However, the magnitude of this reduction differed by race and sex.

Background: Heart disease (HD) mortality has declined in Mississippi over recent decades however it remains as the leading cause of death among Mississippians. Trends in Mississippi HD mortality have not been thoroughly explored. This study examined trends in HD mortality from 1980 through 2013 among Mississippi adults (≥ 25 years) and further assessed trends by race and sex. Methods and Results: Data from Mississippi Vital Statistics (1980 through 2013) were used to calculate age-specific HD mortality rates for Mississippi adults. Cases were identified using underlying cause of death codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), including I00-I09, I11, I13, and I20-I51. Joinpoint software was used to calculate the average annual percent change in HD mortality rates for the overall population and by race, sex, and race and sex. Overall, the age-adjusted HD mortality rates among Mississippi adults decreased by 36.5% between 1980 and 2013 with an average annual percent change of -1.60% (95% CI -2.0 to -1.3). During this period, HD mortality rates decreased annually on average by -1.30% (95% CI -1.98 to -0.69) for black adults; by -1.60% (95% CI -1.74 to -1.46) for white adults; by -1.30% (95% CI -1.5 to -1.1) for all females, and by -1.90% (95% -2.2 to -1.5) for all males. Conclusions: Between 1980 and 2013 a continual decrease in HD mortality among Mississippi adults was observed. Disparities in the magnitude of the decrease in HD mortality existed by race and sex.

BackgroundCardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Mississippi. However, the prevalence of no known CVD risk factors among Mississippi adults and the change of prevalence in the past 9 years have not been described. We assess changes in prevalence of no known CVD risk factors during 2001 and 2009.MethodsPrevalence of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, physical inactivity, smoking, and obesity were investigated. Survey respondents who reported having none of these factors were defined as having no known CVD risk factors. Differences in prevalence and 95% confidence intervals were determined using t-test analysis.ResultsOverall, age-standardized prevalence of having no known CVD risk factors significantly decreased from 17.3% in 2001 to 14.5% in 2009 (p = 0.0091). The age-standardized prevalence of no known CVD risk factors were significantly lower in 2009 than in 2001 among blacks (8.9% vs. 13.2%, p = 0.008); males (13.5% vs. 17.9%, p = 0.0073); individuals with a college degree (25.2%, vs. 30.8%, p = 0.0483); and those with an annual household income of $20,000–$34,999 (11.6% vs. 16.9%, p = 0.0147); and $35,000–$49,999 (15.2% vs. 23.3%, p = 0.0135).ConclusionThe prevalence of no known CVD risk factors among Mississippi adults significantly decreased from 2001 to 2009 with observed differences by race, age group, sex, and annual household income.