Occupation, employment status, and “despair”-associated mortality risk among working-aged U.S. adults, 1997–2015

Occupational Differences in Deaths of Despair in the United States, Using Data From the Using the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance System

“…5 in the same study, health professionals had the most elevated rates for accidental poisoning. 5 Another study using data from the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance (NOMS) system assessed occupational risks of unintentional drug-overdose in 26 occupations and found that the three occupations with highest proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) were construction and extraction (including oil and gas workers, surface mining and earth drillers, explosive workers, and miners) and healthcare occupations. Peterson et al 6 found that there was an increased risk of suicide rates during the years of 2012 to 2015 among the following occupations: construction and extraction, arts, entertainment, design, media, sports, and food preparation.…”

“…The study found protective service occupation to have elevated rates of suicide and alcoholic liver disease and administrative support, management, and office occupations having elevated trends for suicides 4 . A recent study found that workers in labor and transportation occupations had two to three times the risk for accidental poisoning (drug-related deaths) compared with occupations in administration and manage-ment 5 . in the same study, health professionals had the most elevated rates for accidental poisoning 5 .…”

“…A recent study found that workers in labor and transportation occupations had two to three times the risk for accidental poisoning (drug-related deaths) compared with occupations in administration and manage-ment 5 . in the same study, health professionals had the most elevated rates for accidental poisoning 5 . Another study using data from the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance (NOMS) system assessed occupational risks of unintentional drug-overdose in 26 occupations and found that the three occupations with highest proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) were construction and extraction (including oil and gas workers, surface mining and earth drillers, explosive workers, and miners) and healthcare occupations.…”

Changes in drug poisoning mortality before and after the COVID‐19 pandemic by occupation in Massachusetts

“…Unemployment increased dramatically during the early days of the COVID‐19 pandemic 30 . Unemployment and not being in the labor force are likely to risk factors for drug poisoning death 32–34 . The potential impact of unemployment is different depending on the occupation being considered.…”

“…31 As previously mentioned, being unemployed or not in the labor force may be a risk factor for drug overdose death. 32 , 33 , 34 Additionally, the risk of a drug overdose may have been impacted by changes in the risk of occupational injuries, a likely risk factor for opioid use, 4 , 9 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 among essential workers due to working more hours and having heavier workloads.…”