High Rates of "Deaths of Despair" Observed Among White Americans

Findings from a new study revealed white individuals are more likely to experience “deaths of despair” when compared with Black and Hispanic individuals in the US despite being less likely to suffer from severe psychological distress. This suggests that white individuals may be more vulnerable to the detrimental effects of psychological distress, lead author Hui Zheng from Ohio State University said in a statement.

In recent years, the term "deaths of despair" has garnered attention in discussions about public health in the US. Coined by economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton in 2015, it refers to the alarming trend of increasing mortality rates related to drugs, alcohol, and suicide, especially among less-educated white individuals. However, this new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences expanded on what constitutes a death of despair by analyzing data from multiple sources, including the US National Health Interview Survey Linked Mortality File and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Multiple Cause of Death database.

Despite being less likely to suffer from severe psychological distress, the results suggest white individuals may be more vulnerable to the detrimental effects of despair.

“Just looking at deaths due to drugs, alcohol, and suicide underestimates the toll that despair takes on Blacks and whites in the US,” Zheng said in the statement. “Psychological distress can lead to other health issues tied to mortality. It leads to stress, obesity, poor sleep, unhealthy eating habits and other habits that contribute to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.”

The study, encompassing a sample size of 409,095 individuals, employed "psychological distress" as a metric to gauge despair. Respondents were queried on the frequency of experiencing feelings of sadness, nervousness, restlessness, hopelessness, or the perception that everything was an effort over the preceding 30 days. Based on these responses, participants were categorized into 3 groups, with the highest indicating severe distress. Analyzing mortality data spanning from 1997 to 2014, the researchers uncovered notable trends regarding psychological distress and its ramifications across different racial and ethnic groups in the US.

Among the key findings was a consistent rise in the percentage of white individuals reporting moderate to severe psychological distress throughout the study period. This increase was particularly pronounced among white individuals lacking a college degree, escalating from 12.5% to 14.9%. In contrast, the levels of psychological distress among Black and Hispanic individuals exhibited varying trends over the same timeframe, with those who were white consistently demonstrating lower prevalence rates of distress compared with these groups.

While the study couldn't definitively ascertain the reasons behind the escalating despair levels among white individuals, potential factors such as the loss of well-compensated blue-collar jobs, perceived declines in social status, reduced engagement in religious activities, and diminishing marriage rates were posited. The research indicated that the impact of psychological distress disproportionately burdened white Americans.

For instance, a model for the period between 1997 and 2002 exhibited severe distress associated with a staggering 114% increase in mortality among white individuals, far surpassing the respective increases of 44% and 51% observed among those who were Black and Hispanic. These findings shed light on the differential susceptibility to despair across racial and ethnic lines in the US, prompting further investigation into the underlying mechanisms driving these disparities and the development of targeted interventions to address them.

Reference

Grabmeier J. How “deaths of despair” differ by race and ethnicity. News release. Ohio State News. February 5, 2024. Accessed February 6, 2024. https://news.osu.edu/how-deaths-of-despair-differ-by-race-and-ethnicity/