Economic Inequality and Place: Does Relative Deprivation Within U.S. Counties Affect Drug Overdose Deaths, 2000-2015?

• In Event: Communities and Place: Community Deprivation, Investment, and Change

Abstract

Past research on economic inequality has largely focused on the effects of income inequality in neighborhoods on crime rates. Generally, these studies reveal that greater income inequality in neighborhoods are associated with higher crime rates. However, no studies to date have examined the link between economic inequality and community drug problems. The current study examines this broader context to test the effects of income inequality on drug overdose deaths both overall and by substance type at the U.S. county-level for the 2000 to 2015 period. The current study relies on data drawn from the Centers for Disease Control’s Restricted Access Multiple Cause of Death Mortality files combined with data on county social, economic, health, and legal context from several macro-level data sources. Findings reveal that relative deprivation for overall drug overdose deaths does matter and when these effects are significant, economic inequality is linked to higher levels of overdose mortality. With respect to substance type, these effects vary.

Authors

• Diana Sun, Florida Atlantic University

• Ben Feldmeyer, University of Cincinnati

• Calvin Proffit, University of Cincinnati