The boomer penalty: excess mortality among baby boomers in Canada and the United States

Acosta, Enrique; Gagnon, Alain; Ouellette, Nadine; Bourbeau, Robert; Nepomuceno, Marília R.; Raalte, Alyson A. van

doi:10.4054/mpidr-wp-2020-003

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 80 publications

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“…We generally found more evidence for period rather than cohort effects for these trends, apart from baby boomers in the USA, consistent with previous evidence of their cohort mortality disadvantage. 31 Increases in mid-life mortality in the last two decades in the USA set off a robust debate about the underlying causes of this concerning trend, with a strong focus on 'deaths of despair'. One narrative emphasises the role of cumulative disadvantage triggered by worsening labour market opportunities for white Americans with low levels of education, leading to psychological distress…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing trends in mid-life ‘deaths of despair’ in the USA, Canada and UK, 2001–2019: is the USA an anomaly?

Dowd,

Angus,

Zajacova

et al. 2023

BMJ Open

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ObjectivesIn recent years, ‘deaths of despair’ due to drugs, alcohol and suicide have contributed to rising mid-life mortality in the USA. We examine whether despair-related deaths and mid-life mortality trends are also changing in peer countries, the UK and Canada.DesignDescriptive analysis of population mortality rates.SettingThe USA, UK (and constituent nations England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland) and Canada, 2001–2019.ParticipantsFull population aged 35–64 years.Outcome measuresWe compared all-cause and ‘despair’-related mortality trends at mid-life across countries using publicly available mortality data, stratified by three age groups (35–44, 45–54 and 55–64 years) and by sex. We examined trends in all-cause mortality and mortality by causes categorised as (1) suicides, (2) alcohol-specific deaths and (3) drug-related deaths. We employ several descriptive approaches to visually inspect age, period and cohort trends in these causes of death.ResultsThe USA and Scotland both saw large relative increases and high absolute levels of drug-related deaths. The rest of the UK and Canada saw relative increases but much lower absolute levels in comparison. Alcohol-specific deaths showed less consistent trends that did not track other ‘despair’ causes, with older groups in Scotland seeing steep declines over time. Suicide deaths trended slowly upward in most countries.ConclusionsIn the UK, Scotland has suffered increases in drug-related mortality comparable with the USA, while Canada and other UK constituent nations did not see dramatic increases. Alcohol-specific and suicide mortalities generally follow different patterns to drug-related deaths across countries and over time, questioning the utility of a cohesive ‘deaths of despair’ narrative.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing trends in mid-life ‘deaths of despair’ in the USA, Canada and UK, 2001–2019: is the USA an anomaly?

Dowd,

Angus,

Zajacova

et al. 2023

BMJ Open

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“…However, it is important to note that women in the older generation (1921–26) are likely to be a healthier group of 70 year old people (i.e., healthier survivors) than the younger generation (1946–51) when they get to 70. A recent study in the United States and Canada also suggested that baby boomers had a higher susceptibility to behavioural causes of death [ 22 ]. Another US-based study among cancer survivors reported an expansion of life spent in disability among a more recent birth cohort (born 1948–57) compared to the older birth cohort (1918–27) [ 46 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, there is a popular belief that “baby boomers,” a generation with distinct socio-economic characteristics and larger in size than earlier generations, are ageing in better health than previous generations. However, with the increased prevalence of unhealthy behavioural risk factors, recent cohorts are experiencing an all-cause mortality disadvantage in the US and Canada [ 22 , 23 ]. No study has examined the joint impact of education and unhealthy lifestyle factors on years lived free of disability across two cohorts from two generations (baby boomers and the previous generation).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Education and Lifestyle Factors on Disability-Free Life Expectancy From Mid-Life to Older Age: A Multi-Cohort Study

Rahman

Jagger²,

Leigh³

et al. 2022

Int J Public Health

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Objectives: Low education and unhealthy lifestyle factors such as obesity, smoking, and no exercise are modifiable risk factors for disability and premature mortality. We aimed to estimate the individual and joint impact of these factors on disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) and total life expectancy (TLE).Methods: Data (n = 22,304) were from two birth cohorts (1921–26 and 1946–51) of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health and linked National Death Index between 1996 and 2016. Discrete-time multi-state Markov models were used to assess the impact on DFLE and TLE.Results: Compared to the most favourable combination of education and lifestyle factors, the least favourable combination (low education, obesity, current/past smoker, and no exercise) was associated with a loss of 5.0 years TLE, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 3.2–6.8 and 6.4 years DFLE (95%CI: 4.8–7.8) at age 70 in the 1921–26 cohort. Corresponding losses in the 1946–51 cohort almost doubled (TLE: 11.0 years and DFLE: 13.0 years).Conclusion: Individual or co-ocurrance of lifestyle risk factors were associated with a significant loss of DFLE, with a greater loss in low-educated women and those in the 1946–51 cohort.

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Key Drivers of Long-Term Rates of Mortality Improvements in the United States: Period, Cohort, and Cause of Death Analysis, 1959–2016

Villegas

Bajekal

Haberman

et al. 2023

North American Actuarial Journal

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The boomer penalty: excess mortality among baby boomers in Canada and the United States

Abstract: Working papers of the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research receive only limited review. Views or opinions expressed in working papers are attributable to the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute.

Cited by 3 publications

References 80 publications

Comparing trends in mid-life ‘deaths of despair’ in the USA, Canada and UK, 2001–2019: is the USA an anomaly?

Comparing trends in mid-life ‘deaths of despair’ in the USA, Canada and UK, 2001–2019: is the USA an anomaly?

The Impact of Education and Lifestyle Factors on Disability-Free Life Expectancy From Mid-Life to Older Age: A Multi-Cohort Study

Key Drivers of Long-Term Rates of Mortality Improvements in the United States: Period, Cohort, and Cause of Death Analysis, 1959–2016

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