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Black People In Kansas And Missouri Are More Likely To Die From COVID-19 Than White People

By Steve Kraske,

Published June 1, 2020 at 3:16 PM CDT

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While COVID-19 death rates among the black population in Kansas and Missouri are lower than national rates, they are higher than those for other racial and ethnic groups.

APM Research Lab looked at racial disparities among COVID-19 deaths and found the disparities in Kansas and Missouri to be some of the worst in the country.

The health inequities that contribute to disparities in COVID-19 outcomes have been here a lot longer than the new coronavirus. Researcher Andi Egbert says, "if we had equity in Kansas and Missouri, 260 black lives wouldn't be lost today from the virus."

Andi Egbert, APM Research Lab senior researcher
Broderick Crawford, NBC Community Development Corporation president and part of a health equity task force in Wyandotte County, Kansas
Rev. Eric Williams, Calvary Temple Baptist Church pastor

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Up To Date Kansas City Missouri (KCMO)Kansas City Kansas (KCK)Racism Coronavirus health outcomes Talk Show African Americans health care public health Health

Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Mackenzie Martin

Whether it’s something happening right now or something that happened 100 years ago, some stories don’t fit in the short few minutes of a newscast. As a podcast producer and reporter at KCUR Studios, I help investigate questions and local curiosities in a way that brings listeners along for adventures with plot twists and thought-provoking ideas. Sometimes there isn’t an easy answer in the end – but my hope is that we all leave with a greater understanding of the city we live in. Reach me at mackenzie@kcur.org.

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