‘Deaths of Despair’ hits middle white working class

A study has shown that the mortality rates of the white working class in the U.S. has increased in recent years. According to a report by the Brookings Papers, the mortality rate increased nearly 50 percent from 1999 to 2015. The report stated that causes of death included suicide, opioid addiction, and alcohol-related liver diseases. The study suggests that these 'deaths of despair' were contributed by the decline of job opportunities for those with only a high school education and weakening social structures.