Reduction in Drug-Related Overdoses Associated With Unemployment Insurance
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Aug. 12, 2024 -- Unemployment insurance (UI), operationalized as the weekly benefit allowance (WBA) replacement rate, is associated with a lower risk for drug-related overdose, according to a study published in the August issue of the International Journal of Drug Policy.
Silvia S. Martins, M.D., Ph.D., from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, and colleagues used data from the pooled 2014 to 2020 Detailed Restricted Mortality files for all counties from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to examine whether UI, operationalized as the WBA replacement rate, is negatively associated with drug-related overdoses. The association between the WBA replacement rate and each county-level age-adjusted mortality outcome was modeled during 2014 to 2020: pre-COVID-19 (2014 to 2018) and COVID-19 (2019 to 2020).
The researchers found that across the entire study period, a more robust WBA replacement rate was associated with a lower risk for any drug, opioid, or stimulant overdose (risk differences, −0.06, −0.04, and −0.03, respectively). In the pre-COVID-19 period, a more robust WBA replacement rate was associated with fewer fatal drug, opioid, and stimulant overdoses, while associations were seen for any fatal drug and stimulant overdoses in the COVID-19 period.
"Although additional research is needed to further interrogate these findings, together the results support the premise that higher WBA replacements rates could serve to buffer some of the adverse consequences of job loss on drug overdose mortality risk at the population level," the authors write.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2024
Read this next
Health Care Expenditure Expected to Top GDP Growth 2024 to 2033
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- The annual growth in national health spending is expected to be faster than average gross domestic product (GDP) growth during 2024 to 2033, according to...
Considerable Variation Seen in Commercial Pricing for Surgery Services
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- Commercial pricing varies considerably for general surgery services, with facility prices exhibiting greater variability, according to a research letter...
Urinary Metal Levels Tied to Increased Risk for Later Heart Failure
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- There are consistent associations between elevated urinary metal levels and increased heart failure risk over time across geographically diverse cohorts...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.