Methods for US Gender/Sex COVID-19 Data Tracker
Data Collection
Sex-disaggregated cases and deaths counts are collected on a weekly basis from the best current source of COVID-19 data in each U.S. state, as indicated on the COVID-19 Tracking Project. If states did not report cases or deaths disaggregated by sex at a given point in time, then the corresponding data points are missing in the table and figures.
Data was collected before 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on the day recorded, and represents the most updated publicly available data presented by states by this time.
Some states only report sex-disaggregated data on a portion of cases/fatalities; these were considered to be representative of the whole state.
Validation
Each week following initial collection, data was then validated in one of two ways to ensure the Tracker accurately recorded numbers from the public health department dashboards.
A second person independently collected the same data and compared it with the first data collector's numbers to identify any discrepancies.
A second person checked the first data collector's numbers against the website dashboards.
From April 2020 through May 2021, the data was validated or retroactively validated using method 1. Between May 2021 and November 2021, a combination of methods 1 and 2 were used for validation.
Inclusion Criteria
Currently, sex-disaggregated data from all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia are displayed. The list might expand to include other U.S. territories and Indian Reservations as data becomes available.
Technical Notes
COVID-19 cases and deaths disaggregated by sex (percentages)
If states report sex-disaggregated cases and deaths as percentages, the percentages are reported in our graph.
If states report sex-disaggregated cases and deaths as counts, we calculate the percentages displayed in the graph by dividing sex-disaggregated counts by the total number of cases or deaths in each state.
Sex-disaggregated case rates and mortality rates
The case rates are calculated by dividing the total number of COVID-19 cases among women or men in a given state by the total number of individuals of that sex living in the state. The number obtained is then multiplied by 100,000.
The mortality rates are obtained by dividing the total number of COVID-19 deaths among women or men in a given state by the total number of individuals of that sex living in the state. The number obtained is then multiplied by 100,000.
For example, for calculating the mortality rate for women in Massachusetts, the total number of COVID-19 deaths among women in Massachusetts is divided by the total female population of the state and then multiplied by 100,000.
Cases and mortality rates were calculated using 2014-2018 5-Year American Community Survey population estimates as sex-disaggregated population denominators.
Age-adjusted mortality rates disaggregated by sex
Age-adjusted mortality rates are calculated using the indirect age adjustment method and the total U.S. COVID-19 mortality rate as the standard. Rates are reported per 100,000 population.
Rate ratios of sex-disaggregated and age-adjusted mortality rates over time
Rate ratios were computed using age-adjusted mortality rates.