For adults younger than 65, many underlying health conditions are emerging as risk factors that can lead to severe complications of COVID-19. Within this larger population, certain minority groups are under particular threat due to disproportionate rates of such conditions. While California’s overall share of nonelderly adults at risk is relatively low, disparities in health endanger some more than others during this health crisis.

Governor Newsom cited protecting individuals most at risk of COVID-19 complications as a necessary criterion for restarting California’s economy. Though we cannot yet draw conclusions from incomplete data—about one-third of cases and over a tenth of deaths do not have complete data on race and ethnicity—certain risk factors are more prevalent along racial and ethnic lines.

According to the Center for Disease Control, potential risk factors include heart disease, diabetes, severe obesity (BMI greater than 40), and uncontrolled asthma; smoking is also likely to increase risk. In California, over 60% of Native Americans and about 46% of African Americans have at least one of those health concerns. By comparison, roughly one-third of whites, Latinos, and Asian Americans have one or more of these health issues.

Native Americans are diagnosed with heart disease at rates almost four times that of whites (19% to 5%), have higher rates of smoking (51% to 14%), and double the uncontrolled asthma (12% to 6%). African Americans have much higher rates of diabetes (24% to 14%) and severe obesity (12% to 4%) than whites. Asian Americans and Latinos also have higher rates of diabetes (about 19%) compared to whites (14%).

Due to higher poverty and uninsured rates, minority groups also face more difficulty accessing health care. At the same time, individuals in these populations may frequently hold jobs with a higher risk of exposure to coronavirus.

The California Department of Public Health has begun to publish data on cases and deaths by race/ethnicity. Some counties, such as San Francisco, are doing the same at the local level. While limited testing capacity and incomplete data prevent a true understanding of who is most impacted by the coronavirus, better knowledge of existing health disparities can help California protect and heal its most at-risk members as the state plans its next steps in responding to the public health crisis.