How does Deaton's work relate to 'deaths of despair'?
My more recent work, particularly with Anne Case, investigates the phenomenon of 'deaths of despair'—mortality from drug overdoses, suicides, and alcohol-related liver disease—primarily among white working-class Americans. This connects to my broader interests in health, wealth, and inequality, suggesting that economic hardship and a lack of opportunity can have profound and ultimately fatal consequences, challenging the narrative of continuous progress.
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