Macroeconomic conditions and opioid abuse
Alex Hollingsworth1, Christopher J Ruhm2, Kosali Simon3
1School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, United States.
Journal of Health Economics
|November 13, 2017
Summary
Rising unemployment correlates with increased opioid overdose deaths and emergency department visits. Economic downturns significantly impact drug-related mortality, primarily driven by opioid use, especially among white populations.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Health Economics
Background:
- Opioid analgesics (opioids) are a significant public health concern.
- Macroeconomic conditions can influence health outcomes and substance use.
- Understanding the interplay between economy and drug-related mortality is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between macroeconomic conditions and drug-related deaths and emergency department (ED) visits.
- To quantify the impact of unemployment rates on opioid-related mortality and morbidity.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of county-level and state-level data correlating unemployment rates with opioid death rates and ED visit rates.
- Statistical analysis to determine the significance and magnitude of these associations.
Main Results:
- A one-percentage-point increase in county unemployment rate is associated with a 0.19 rise per 100,000 in the opioid death rate (3.6% increase).
- The opioid overdose ED visit rate per 100,000 increases by 0.95 (7.0%) with a one-percentage-point rise in unemployment.
- The rise in overall drug deaths during economic shocks is primarily attributed to increased opioid deaths, particularly affecting white populations.
Conclusions:
- Adverse macroeconomic conditions, specifically rising unemployment, are significantly linked to increased opioid-related mortality and morbidity.
- Economic downturns exacerbate the opioid crisis, highlighting the need for integrated public health and economic policies.
- Findings are robust across different geographical levels and stable over time.
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