Suicides, drug poisonings, and alcohol-related deaths cluster with health and social disadvantage in 4.1 million citizens from two nations

BackgroundDeaths from suicides, drug poisonings, and alcohol-related diseases ('deaths of despair') are well-documented among working-age Americans, and have been hypothesized to be largely specific to the U.S. However, support for this assertion-and associated policies to reduce premature mortality-requires tests concerning these deaths in other industrialized countries, with different institutional contexts. We tested whether the concentration and accumulation of health and social disadvantage forecasts deaths of despair, in New Zealand and Denmark.MethodsWe used nationwide administrative data. Our observation period was 10 years (NZ = July 2006-June 2016, Denmark = January 2007-December 2016). We identified all NZ-born and Danish-born individuals aged 25-64 in the last observation year (NZ = 1 555 902, Denmark = 2 541 758). We ascertained measures of disadvantage (public-hospital stays for physical- and mental-health difficulties, social-welfare benefit-use, and criminal convictions) across the first nine years. We ascertained deaths from suicide, drugs, alcohol, and all other causes in the last year.ResultsDeaths of despair clustered within a population segment that disproportionately experienced multiple disadvantages. In both countries, individuals in the top 5% of the population in multiple health- and social-service sectors were at elevated risk for deaths from suicide, drugs, and alcohol, and deaths from other causes. Associations were evident across sex and age.ConclusionsDeaths of despair are a marker of inequalities in countries beyond the U.S. with robust social-safety nets, nationwide healthcare, and strong pharmaceutical regulations. These deaths cluster within a highly disadvantaged population segment identifiable within health- and social-service systems.

Automated summary

The study shows that deaths of despair are concentrated within a population segment that experiences multiple disadvantages in New Zealand and Denmark. Individuals in the top 5% of the population in multiple health and social-service sectors in both countries are at elevated risk for deaths from suicide, drugs, and alcohol, as well as deaths from other causes. These deaths are associated with sex and age across both countries.