Deaths of Despair in Ohio: The Changing Landscape of Addiction and Suicides

IMPACT. 1: Growth in deaths of despair at the county-level, relative to other counties in Ohio and the national level. -- 2. Characteristics of counties that are more severely affected, including location, demographics, and industrial and labor landscape. -- 3. Inform policy-makers on growing opioid and overdose crisis in Ohio.OSU PARTNERS: Department of Human Sciences; Family and Consumer Sciences; OSU ExtensionPRIMARY CONTACT: Lauren Jones (Jones.2846@osu.edu); Mike Betz (Betz.40@osu.edu)We investigate how so-called deaths of despair (including deaths due to drug overdose, alcohol, and suicide) in Ohio have changed from 1999 through 2014. Using data from the CDC, we track patterns and trends at the county level. We also explore the characteristics of communities that have been particularly afflicted, including the demographics and industrial landscape