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Keywords: COVID-19, mortality risk, case fatality rate, mortality rates, age and gender
Objective: To examine COVID-19 mortality from an age and gender perspective and investigate how COVID-19 mortality risk differs between men and women across different age groups in San Diego county.
Methods: The daily cumulative COVID-19 cases and deaths data from March 2020 to March 2021 in San Diego county were used in the study. Case fatality rates were calculated for men vs. women with corresponding relative risk. Furthermore, mortality rates (per 100,000 population) stratified by age and gender with corresponding relative risks for men vs. women across the age groups were also calculated.
Results: As of March 31, 2021, a total of 270,539 COVID-19 cases and 3,555 COVID-19 deaths were reported in San Diego county.
1. COVID-19 is substantially more dangerous not only for the elderly but also for middle-aged and upper middle-aged adults. Among the COVID-19 deaths, 2% were younger than 45 years, 42% were aged 45-74, and 56% were over 75 years.
2. Men (59%) had more deaths due to COVID-19 than women (41%). The COVID-19 mortality risk was significantly higher for men than women with a case fatality rate of 1.63% in men vs. 1.05% in women (relative risk: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.45—1.66), and with mortality rate (per 100,000) of 130 in men vs. 90 in women (relative risk: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.35—1.54).
3. COVID-19 mortality rates in men were consistently higher than women across all age groups. The greatest gender difference was in age groups of 30-49 (relative risks above 3). The gender differences decreased thereafter with the smallest gender difference in the age group of 80+.
Conclusions: This study showed a similar pattern of COVID-19 mortality by age and gender in San Diego county with what the global data suggested. By identifying the most vulnerable populations in the community, healthcare personnel can ensure the better targeting of prevention and intervention efforts to improve chances of survival for these high-risk groups during the pandemic and beyond.