Age, period, and cohort trends of substance poisoning, alcohol-related disease, and suicide deaths in Australia, 1980-2019.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Deaths due to substance poisoning, alcohol-related disease, and suicide pose a critical public health issue, and have been categorized as "deaths of despair" in the US. Whether these deaths represent a distinct phenomenon requires exploration, particularly in other countries.

Methods

This retrospective observational study examines age-period-cohort trends of (combined and cause-specific) substance poisoning, alcohol-related disease, and suicide deaths among Australians aged ≥15-years that occurred between 1980 and 2019 and compares trends between males and females.

Results

Combined mortality rates were initially (1980-1999) relatively stable, reflecting a reduction in alcohol-related disease deaths offset by an increase in substance poisoning deaths. A decline

SUBMITTER: Bharat C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11870947 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature