Deaths from ‘diseases of despair’ in Britain: comparing suicide, alcohol-related and drug-related mortality for birth cohorts in Scotland, England and Wales, and selected cities

Abstract

BackgroundThe contribution of increasing numbers of deaths from suicide, alcohol-related and drug-related causes to changes in overall mortality rates has been highlighted in various countries. In Scotland, particular vulnerable cohorts have been shown to be most at risk; however, it is unclear to what extent this applies elsewhere in Britain. The aim here was to compare mortality rates for different birth cohorts between Scotland and England and Wales (E&W), including key cities.MethodsMortality and population data (1981–2017) for Scotland, E&W and 10 cities were obtained from national statistical agencies. Ten-year birth cohorts and cohort-specific mortality rates (by age of death, sex, cause) were derived and compared between countries and cities.ResultsSimilarities were observed between countries and cities in terms of peak ages of death, and the cohorts with the highest death rates. However, cohort-specific rates were notably higher in Scotland, particularly for alcohol-related and drug-related deaths. Across countries and cities, those born in 1965–1974 and 1975–1984 had the highest drug-related mortality rates (peak age at death: 30–34 years); the 1965–1974 birth cohort also had the highest male suicide rate (peak age: 40–44 years). For alcohol-related causes, the highest rates were among earlier cohorts (1935–1944, 1945–1954, 1955–1964)—peak age 60–64 years.ConclusionsThe overall similarities suggest common underlying influences across Britain; however, their effects have been greatest in Scotland, confirming greater vulnerability among that population. In addressing the socioeconomic drivers of deaths from these causes, the cohorts identified here as being at greatest risk require particular attention.

The contributions of public health policies and healthcare quality to gender gap and country differences in life expectancy in the UK

“…Moreover, while IHD’s contribution to GGLE has declined across the UK, the role of drug-related deaths rose. Drug-related deaths belong to the “deaths of despair” [ 46 ], which are attributable to socio-economic conditions rather than healthcare policies and have been increasing also in the UK [ 47 ]. The slowdown in LE growth may be attributed to other than winter-related mortality in the UK (e.g.…”

Comparing gender-specific suicide mortality rate trends in the United States and Lithuania, 1990–2019: putting one of the “deaths of despair” into perspective

“…The current findings suggest that the suicide mortality rate trend in the US is not necessarily an indicator of an upcoming global trend and may in fact be atypical, as Case and Deaton [ 3 ] and others [ 24 ] have postulated with respect to the so-called deaths of despair in general. Even though a similar trend could be occurring elsewhere (for example, see [ 7 ]), it appears to be restricted to certain countries. Generally speaking, we found that in the US, gender-specific suicide mortality rates are increasing, while in Lithuania the rates are decreasing.…”

“…Countries in the UK have also experienced recent rises in middle-aged mortality,[ 6 ] for which the increasing number of deaths by suicide among this age group has been identified as a contributory factor. [ 7 ] However, it is unclear whether this is also happening in other parts of the world including countries of the European Union (EU). To the best of our knowledge, there has not been a study done to date using advanced statistical methods to compare the suicide mortality rate trend in the US with any country in the EU.…”

Measuring the Suicidal Mind: The ‘Open Source’ Suicidality Scale, for Adolescents and Adults

“…Suicide is a complicated human affliction at the very core of deaths by despair. We continue to see increases in these premature deaths (Shanahan et al, 2019;Walsh et al, 2021) amid long-standing recommendations for more routine suicide risk assessments (SRA; Hawton & van Heeringen, 2009). Regrettably, with low-validity SRAs, researchers may naïvely present unreliable findings and clinical decisions may be poorly guided.…”