Suicide, overdose and worker exit in a cohort of Michigan autoworkers

Abstract

<jats:sec id="s1"><jats:title>Background</jats:title><jats:p>In recent decades, suicide and fatal overdose rates have increased in the US, particularly for working-age adults with no college education. The coincident decline in manufacturing has limited stable employment options for this population. Erosion of the Michigan automobile industry provides a striking case study.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec id="s2"><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>We used individual-level data from a retrospective cohort study of 26 804 autoworkers in the United Autoworkers-General Motors cohort, using employment records from 1970 to 1994 and mortality follow-up from 1970 to 2015. We estimated HRs for suicide or fatal overdose in relation to leaving work, measured as active or inactive employment status and age at worker exit.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec id="s3"><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>There were 257 deaths due to either suicide (n=202) or overdose (n=55); all but 21 events occurred after leaving work. The hazard rate for suicide was 16.1 times higher for inactive versus active workers (95% CI 9.8 to 26.5). HRs for suicide were elevated for all younger age groups relative to those leaving work after age 55. Those 30–39 years old at exit had the highest HR for suicide, 1.9 (95% CI 1.2 to 3.0). When overdose was included, the rate increased by twofold for both 19- to 29-year-olds and 30- to 39-year-olds at exit. Risks remained elevated when follow-up was restricted to 5 years after exit.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec id="s4"><jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title><jats:p>Autoworkers who left work had a higher risk of suicide or overdose than active employees. Those who left before retirement age had higher rates than those who left after, suggesting that leaving work early may increase the risk.</jats:p></jats:sec>

Racial disparities in alcohol-related liver disease mortality in a 75 year follow-up study of Michigan autoworkers

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New Perspectives on the Decline of US Manufacturing Employment

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“…As discussed in Fort (2017), plants' use of electronic networks to control or coordinate shipments involves not just using the internet or other networks, but also integrating electronic communication in the production process. Computer purchase data are not available in 1997, so we supplement the Census of Manufactures data with information from the 2000 Annual Survey of Manufactures 3. Online AppendixFigure A.1 displays the levels of overall US imports, exports, manufacturing value added, and manufacturing absorption (value added plus imports minus exports).…”

Familiar Faces, Worn Out Places: The Effect of Personal and Place Prosperity On Well-Being

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