Native American “Deaths of Despair” and Economic Conditions

Randall Akee, Donna Feir, Marina Mileo Gorzig and Samuel Myers Jr. ()
Additional contact information
Marina Mileo Gorzig: https://www.minneapolisfed.org/people/marina-mileo-gorzig
Samuel Myers Jr.: https://www.hhh.umn.edu/directory/samuel-l-myers-jr
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Marina Mileo Gorsuch

No 62, Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute Working Papers from Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Abstract: Non-Hispanic whites who do not have a college degree have experienced an increase in “deaths of despair” – deaths caused by suicide, drug use, and alcohol use. Yet, deaths of despair are proportionally largest among Native Americans and the rate of increase of these deaths matches that of non-Hispanic white Americans. Native American women and girls face the largest differentials: deaths of despair comprise over 10% of all deaths among Native American women and girls – almost four times as high as the proportion of deaths for non-Hispanic white women and girls. However, the factors related to these patterns are very different for Native Americans than they are for non-Hispanic white Americans. Improvements in economic conditions are associated with decreased deaths from drug use, alcohol use, and suicide for non-Hispanic white Americans. On the other hand, in counties with higher labor force participation rates, lower unemployment, and higher ratios of employees to residents, there are significantly higher Native American deaths attributed to suicide and drug use. These results suggest that general improvements in local labor market conditions may not be associated with a reduction in deaths of despair for all groups.

Keywords: Economic conditions; Deaths of despair; Native American; Public health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I14 J15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022-09-21
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem
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Working Paper: Native American 'Deaths of Despair' and Economic Conditions (2022)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:fip:fedmoi:95874

DOI: 10.21034/iwp.62

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