Deaths of despair: How income inequality puts Canadian youth at risk

Deaths of despair: How income inequality puts Canadian youth at risk

Income inequality has been linked to poor physical and mental health in past research, but more recent evidence suggests the issue of income inequality may be much more severe than previously expected.

While completing my PhD in epidemiology at the University of Alberta, I published a study highlighting an association between experiencing income inequality in youth and deaths of despair among young Canadians.

Deaths of despair are deaths attributable to suicide, drug overdose and alcohol-related liver disease. These deaths are on the rise in Canada, and finding points of intervention is key to reducing the burden of this crisis.

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