A Qualitative Study of Deaths of Despair in England

Building upon the research of Case and Deaton (2015) around "deaths of despair" (suicide, drug overdoses, and alcohol-specific causes) comes this qualitative study out of England. The author uses semi-structured interviews and a focus group, the latter of which is comprised of health workers, to evaluate factors contributing to gender-based differences in who dies due to DoD (a trend that appeared first among white, middle-aged men before encroaching on other demographic groups).

From the abstract:

The findings demonstrate that economic decline following deindustrialisation resulted in distress and created unique risk factors for substance use and self-harm for men. These results suggest that effective interventions to reduce DoD among men in post-industrial settings must avoid pathologising masculinity itself. Instead, strategies should focus on the broader structural forces that undermine men’s access to stable, fulfilling employment and offering forms of support that are compatible with masculine identity.

Food for thought.

Read the full paper: “They’re Lacking Purpose. It’s a Recipe for Suicide.”: Masculinity and Gender-Based Inequalities in Deaths of Despair in England