Changes in mental health, pain, and drug misuse since the mid-1990s: Is there a link?

ABSTRACT: Drug-related mortality in the US grew dramatically in recent years, while mental health deteriorated among disadvantaged Americans and reported levels of pain increased over the same period. Here we investigate whether increased prevalence of drug misuse between the mid-1990s and early-2010s is associated with higher levels of mental distress and pain. Our results demonstrate higher drug misuse over this period, particularly for older and for socioeconomically disadvantaged Americans. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, we estimate that the prevalence of drug misuse increased by 19 percentage points among those aged 50-76 in the bottom percentile of socioeconomic status (SES). Misuse increased much more at older than at younger ages for all drug types except sedatives, wh

SUBMITTER: Glei DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7064160 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature