Updated COVID-19 race and ethnicity data dashboard helps to identify health risks and burdens in King County

COVID-19, , ,

To see a snapshot of trends in COVID-19 health outcomes by race/ethnicity over the past 6 months, jump to the Recent Trends section.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Public Health – Seattle & King County created a COVID-19 race and ethnicity data dashboard, to help communicate the pandemic’s health impacts on racial and ethnic communities in King County. 

Updated weekly with new data, the dashboard highlights differences in health outcomes among racial and ethnic groups—differences rooted in long-term and systemic inequities.

The dashboard’s data and visual summaries have helped residents and Public Health to identify where COVID-19 health outcomes differ and to develop focused response efforts. 

Now, Public Health has updated the dashboard to make the data easier to read and understand, and to address important questions around racial and ethnic health disparities associated with COVID-19. All data from the prior race and ethnicity dashboard is still available to view and download. 

A focus on four key metrics

The dashboard update allows users to view race/ethnicity data across four COVID-19 measures:  

  • Reported COVID-19 cases 
  • Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 
  • Deaths due to COVID-19 
  • Percent up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccinations 

These four measures help to understand the people and communities who are experiencing severe health outcomes from COVID-19. Using anonymized data gathered from case reports, the measures also suggest where people may be at higher risk for severe COVID-19 because of low vaccination rates. To be up to date on recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, you need to:

  • Complete the COVID-19 primary vaccine series
  • Receive recommended boosters when eligible

Everyone can reduce their risk of severe outcomes and complications from the disease, including hospitalization and death.

By using new interactive features to select a specific measure and time period, users can see how health outcomes compare over the past 6 months and across the entire pandemic. Here’s an example.  

Figure 1: Four key metrics. Abbreviations used above: AIAN – American Indian or Alaskan Native; Black – Black/African American; Hispanic – Hispanic/Latino, Latina, or Latinx of any race; Multi/Other – Multi-racial or other race; NHPI – Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Note that data shown reflects information as of early February 2023. Please check the dashboard for the latest information.  

The dashboard highlights differences in health outcomes among racial and ethnic groups—differences rooted in long-term and systemic inequities.

New section: My Community In-Depth

The updated dashboard adds a new ‘My Community In-Depth’ section, offering a deeper look at each racial/ethnic group. Users can select a group and one of the COVID-19 metrics to see in-depth information compared by age group, sex at birth, and geographic region. 

Sample My Community in Depth dashboard demonstrating how to choose different racial/ethnic groups and metrics.
Figure 2: My Community In-Depth section allows users to select a racial/ethnic group and view in-depth details on different COVID metrics. 

Other key features of the updated dashboard 

The dashboard now allows users to dive even deeper into the data. You can click on or hover over elements within each chart to see more details, and learn how a specific metric compares to the larger picture: 

Figure 3: Click or hover over elements in each chart to show more details. Note that data shown reflects information as of early February 2023. Please check the dashboard for the latest information. 

Updated charts and visuals also make it easier to view and interact with the dashboard on mobile devices. 

Public Health and community partners rely on health data to coordinate pandemic response efforts. When data is easy to access and understand, it can help to develop outreach and program strategies that give everyone the information and resources they need to stay safe and healthy.

Here is a snapshot of trends that the COVID-19 race and ethnicity data dashboard and other tools have helped to identify. Over the past 6 months:

  • As of February 2023, 32% of King County residents are considered up to date on COVID-19 vaccination by the latest CDC recommendation. Residents who identify as Asian, American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN), and White are slightly above the King County vaccination average, ranging from 35% to 36% up to date. Up-to-date vaccination rates for residents who identify as Multi/Other, Hispanic, Black, or Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) range from 12% to 24%.
  • COVID-19 cases for residents who identify as American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN), Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI), and Multi/Other are markedly higher than the county rate of 76 cases per 100,000 residents. For these residents, cases range from 108 cases per 100,000 residents (AIAN) to 144 cases per 100,000 residents (NHPI). White residents have the lowest rate at 62 cases per 100,000 residents.  
  • Residents identifying as NHPI, AIAN, Multi/Other, and Black have had proportionally more hospitalizations due to COVID-19, ranging from 5.1 to 12.3 COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, compared to a county average of 3.5 COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000. White and Asian residents have had lower COVID-19 hospitalization rates than the average, ranging from 2.5 to 3.4 COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents.
  • The King County COVID-19 death rate has averaged 0.7 deaths per 100,000 residents. Residents who identify as NHPI, Multi/Other, and Hispanic have had rates above the King County average, ranging from 2 to 3 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 residents. Residents identifying as Asian, White, Black, and AIAN have had rates ranging from 0.5 to 0.7 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 residents.

Using the updated interactive tools, users can compare this data from the past 6 months to information from the overall pandemic. The dashboard also can separate data by age groups, sex at birth, and regions of King County.

Supporting our community

We hope that this redesigned dashboard helps residents, community organizations, policy makers, and program planners to more easily access the information they need to stay up to date on the pandemic in King County and make decisions on how to stay safe.

If you have any questions, please feel free to send us a message using our online form.

Originally published Feb. 22, 2023.