The contribution of occupation-specific factors to the deaths of despair, Massachusetts, 2005-2015.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Davis, Letitia ; Hawkins D ; Kriebel D ; Punnett, Laura
• Description:
  Objectives: In the USA, deaths from poisonings (especially opioids), suicides, and alcoholic liver disease, collectively referred to as 'deaths of despair', have been increasing rapidly over the past two decades. The risk of deaths from these causes is known to be higher among certain occupations. It may be that specific exposures and experiences of workers in these occupations explain these differences in risk. This study sought to determine whether differences in the risk of deaths of despair were associated with rate of occupational injuries and illnesses, job insecurity, and temporal changes in employment in non-standard work arrangements. Methods: Usual occupation information was collected from death certificates of Massachusetts residents aged 16-64 with relevant causes of death between 2005 and 2015. These data were combined with occupation-level data about occupational injuries and illnesses, job insecurity, and non-standard work arrangements. We calculated occupation-specific mortality rates for deaths of despair, categorized by occupational injury and illnesses rates and job insecurity. We calculated trends in mortality according to changes in non-standard work arrangements. Results: Workers in occupations with higher injury and illnesses rates and more job insecurity had higher rates of deaths of despair, especially opioid-related deaths. Rates of deaths of despair increased most rapidly for occupations with increasing prevalence of workers employed in non-standard work arrangements. Conclusions: The findings suggest occupational factors that may contribute to the risk of deaths of despair. Future studies should examine these factors with individual-level data. In the meantime, efforts should be made to address these factors, which also represent known or suspected hazards for other adverse health outcomes. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Coal Coal Mining Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Alcoholic Liver Disease; Deaths Of Despair; Job Insecurity; Non-standard Work Arrangements; Occupation; Opioids; Suicide; Work Injuries Mortality Rates; Mortality Data; Occupations; Suicide; Traumatic Injuries; Health Disparities; Mental Health; Occupational Diseases; Work Organization;
• ISSN:
  2398-7308
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  65
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20065623
• Citation:
  Ann Work Expo Health 2021 Aug; 65(7):819-832
• Contact Point Address:
  Devan Hawkins, Public Health Program, Schools of Arts and Sciences, MCPHS University, Boston, MA, USA
• Email:
  devan.hawkins@mcphs.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• Performing Organization:
  University of Massachusetts - Lowell
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Annals of Work Exposures and Health
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:950f3dcc49d4e262cd7810431410216f732bbe5c4ea124fa7d66e8d5f8cea62a93329a84aacf7cd8d71583c4e8218a3b38b424d0096500ab48335bff92296610
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/249494/cdc_249494_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.06 MB ]