The Decline of ‘Deaths of Despair’ in Italy: Unveiling This Phenomenon in a New Context

Giacomo Lanfiuti Baldi, PhD student
Andrea Nigri, University of Foggia
Sergi Trias-Llimós, Center for Demographic Studies (Barcelona)
Elisabetta Barbi, Sapienza University of Rome

This paper explores the classification of "Deaths of Despair" (DoD), focusing on mortality due to alcohol consumption, drug use, and suicides. While the concept has been predominantly studied in the United States, where these deaths have increased significantly, this analysis applies it to Italy, which exhibits comparatively lower DoD rates. Utilizing ISTAT data from 1983 to 2018, aggregated by gender and age groups at the NUTS1 level, the study reveals a decline in DoD mortality in Italy, driven mainly by a reduction in alcohol-related deaths. The findings contrast with U.S. trends, particularly in the magnitude and trajectory of drug-related deaths, offering valuable insights into the unique dynamics of DoD in Italy. Through Cointegration Analysis, it was determined that there is no significant dependency structure between these causes or across regions, with only a few exceptions. These findings suggest that in Italy, DoD should not be treated as a homogenous group, but rather as distinct outcomes of despair that require separate consideration in public health analyses and interventions.

Keywords: Mortality and Longevity, Health and Morbidity, Econometrics

See paper.