Study Suggests Opioid Death Rates Rise After Auto Plant Closures

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association highlights the link between factory closures and increased opioid-related deaths in certain U.S. counties. The research, focusing on the Midwest and South, found a significant rise in mortality rates among working-age adults, particularly non-Hispanic white men, in areas where factories closed five years prior. The study's lead researcher, Dr. Armani, emphasizes the role of economic and social factors in health outcomes, alongside the availability of opioids. In response, Ford has pledged funds for opioid treatment research. Despite debates on economic inequality's role, opioid deaths in the U.S. have surged, with the CDC reporting nearly 400,000 fatalities from 1999 to 2017.

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