Mental Health and Mortality Trends in the United States

This study investigates whether worsening mental health has played a significant role in the rising mortality rates experienced by some population groups in the early 21st century, a question that has gained prominence with increased attention to so-called “deaths of despair.” The main takeaway is that although declining psychological health has likely contributed to adverse mortality trends—especially among prime-age non-Hispanic Whites—its overall impact is limited and not well captured by standard definitions of “deaths of despair.”