Trends in cause-specific mortality : deaths of despair in Spain, 1980-2019
Piñeiro, Bárbara (Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics)
Spijker, Jeroen (Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics)
Trias Llimós, Sergi (Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics)
Blanes, Amand (Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics)
Permanyer, Iñaki (Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics)

Date:	2023
Abstract:	Background: Research from various countries has shown increases in alcohol- and drug-related deaths and suicide, known as 'deaths of despair' over recent decades, particularly among low-educated middle-aged individuals. However, little is known about trends in death-of-despair causes in Spain. Therefore, we aim to descriptively examine this among 25-64-year-olds from 1980 to 2019 and by educational attainment for the years 2017-19. Methods: We obtained mortality and population data from the National Institute of Statistics to estimate age-standardized mortality rates and assess educational inequalities using the relative index of inequality (RII). Results: Deaths of despair as a share of total mortality slightly increased from 2000 onwards, particularly among 25-64-year-old men (from 9 to 10%). Only alcohol-related mortality declined relatively more since 1980 compared with all-cause mortality. Regarding educational differences, low-educated men presented higher mortality rates in all death-of-despair causes (alcohol-related: RII 3. 54 (95% CI: 2. 21-5. 66); drug-related: RII 3. 49 (95% CI: 1. 80-6. 77); suicide: RII 1. 97 (95% CI: 1. 49-2. 61)). Women noteworthy differences were only observed for alcohol-related (RII 3. 50 (95% CI: 2. 13-5. 75)). Conclusions: Findings suggest an increasing proportion of deaths of despair among 25-64-year-olds since 2000, particularly among men. Public health policies are needed to reduce and prevent these premature and preventable causes of mortality.
Grants:	European Commission 864616 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación RYC2021-033123-I Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2020-113934RB-I00
Note:	Altres ajuts: Programa CERCA
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, i la comunicació pública de l'obra, sempre que no sigui amb finalitats comercials, i sempre que es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original. No es permet la creació d'obres derivades.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Alcohol ; Cause mortality ; Deaths of despair ; Drugs ; Educational attainment ; Premature mortality ; Suicide ; Trends
Published in:	Journal of public health, June 2023, p. 1-19, ISSN 1741-3850

DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdad133
PMID: 37491646

10 p, 982.7 KB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Social and Legal Sciences > Centre for Demographic Studies (CED-CERCA)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles