Substance use and deaths of despair: Understanding the influence of social factors on individual risk and public health

Abstract

Previous Canadian studies have demonstrated a connection between substance use and social determinants, focusing on high-risk sub-populations (e.g., youth, those experiencing precarious housing, those with past histories of substance use). However, little is known about the social determinants of substance use that underlie “deaths of despair.” Few studies have expanded their research into the social determinants of combined substance use (i.e., the use of multiple substances simultaneously), which has been attributed to a high risk of "deaths of despair." This study uses nationally representative data to explore the association between the use of illicit substances, opioids, excessive alcohol consumption, and combined substance use, with individual and population-level risk.