Abstract
In this brief, author Shannon Monnat examines county-level mortality data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pooled for 2006–2015, to gain insight into the U.S. drug overdose problem. She reports that, unlike the news media’s regular portrayal of the drug overdose epidemic being a national crisis, some places have much higher drug mortality rates than others. On average, rates are higher in counties with higher levels of economic distress and family dissolution, and they are lower in counties with a larger per capita presence of religious establishments. These findings hold even when controlling for demographic differences, urban or rural status, and health care supply. She urges policy makers to consider the substantial geographic variation in drug-related mortality rates to ensure targeting the hardest-hit areas. Social and economic environments are important targets for prevention because they affect stress, optimism and hope, health care investment, residents’ knowledge about and access to services, self-efficacy, social support, and opportunities for social interaction. Religious and other civic organizations may play an important role in marshaling social capital to fight the drug epidemic.
Publication Date
Spring 3-27-2018
Series
National Issue Brief No. 134
Publisher
Durham, N.H. : Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Monnat, Shannon M., "Drug Overdose Rates Are Highest in Places With the Most Economic and Family Distress" (2018). The Carsey School of Public Policy at the Scholars' Repository. 340.
https://scholars.unh.edu/carsey/340
Rights
Copyright 2018. Carsey School of Public Policy. These materials may be used for the purposes of research, teaching, and private study. For all other uses, contact the copyright holder.
DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.34051/p/2020.329