The Impact of Covid-19 on the Socioeconomic Differential in Mortality in the United States

February 2024

Authors

Magali Barbieri, Ph.D.
Co-Director, Human Mortality Database
Director, U.S. Mortality Database
University of California, Berkeley

Overview

This report presents the findings of a research project to analyze the 2020 and 2021 direct and indirect impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the previously documented socioeconomic gradient in mortality in the United States (Barbieri, 2020, 2022). The overall goal of the project was to contribute to a better understanding of how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted different socioeconomic groups within the U.S. population and, ultimately, how the health crisis is likely to affect the work of actuaries in the insurance and reinsurance industry.

Materials

The Impact of Covid-19 on the Socioeconomic Differential in Mortality in the United States

Acknowledgments

The authors’ deepest gratitude goes to those without whose efforts this project could not have come to fruition: the volunteers who generously shared their wisdom, insights, advice, guidance, and arm’s-length review of this study prior to publication. Any opinions expressed may not reflect their opinions nor those of their employers. Any errors belong to the authors alone.

Project Oversight Group members:
Jean-Marc Fix, FSA, MAAA
Sam Gutterman, FSA, MAAA, CERA, FCAS, FCA, HonFIA
Larry N. Stern, FSA, MAAA (Chair)

At the Society of Actuaries Research Institute:
Barbara Scott, Senior Research Administrator
Ronora Stryker, ASA, MAAA, Senior Practice Research Actuary
Patrick Wiese, ASA, Lead Modeling Actuary

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