Do Small Cause-of-Death Correlations Throw into Question the Notion of a Collective “Deaths of Despair” Phenomenon?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arjumand Siddiqi ◽  
Odmaa Sod-Erdene
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Sharp Increase ◽  
Causes Of Death ◽  
Causal Mechanism ◽  
Technical Problems ◽  
Deaths Of Despair

Abstract Since the turn of the 21st century, during which White mortality has been rising, there has been a sharp increase in only three causes of death, drug use, alcohol use, and suicide. Because all three of these causes conjure notions of anguish and hopelessness, they have been conceptualized as a collective “deaths of despair” phenomenon. Simons and Masters challenge this conceptualization, by asking if these three causes are empirically associated with each other. Their analyses produce small correlations, which lead them to call into question that the three causes are part of a unified phenomenon. We contest their work on several grounds. Their analyses suffer from several technical problems, including the fact that, for any given year and cause of death, 65.8-97.6% of counties have death counts under 10. More fundamentally, it is unclear that we should expect these causes of death to rise and fall together, even if they are connected to a singular phenomenon. Instead, ‘despair’ may manifest differently in different places (i.e. these causes may be substitutes for each other). We argue that the best answer to the authors’ important question comes from assessing whether there is a common, despair-based causal mechanism underlying all three of them.

scholarly journals Ten Famous Composers of the Romantic Era and their Cause of Death

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest K.J. Pauwels
Keyword(s):  
Medical Research ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Causes Of Death ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Modern Medicine ◽  
Expression Of Emotion ◽  
The World ◽  
Romantic Era ◽  
Clinically Significant

The musical composers in the Romantic Era (1800-1910) strived for compositions that expressed human life, including happiness, harmony and despair. They lived in a period in which freedom of thinking, expression of emotion and inspiration by nature predominate. During this period, intensive trading with other parts of the world brought new microorganisms along, which made infections and epidemics very common. This article serves to address the cause of death and relevant biographic data of a number of well- known Romantic composers. Primarily, this review refers to clinically significant findings using reports that were retrieved from Pubmed, Embase and Google over the 19th, 20th and 21st century till 14th June 2021. Here, this text dwells on diseases and the cause of death of ten composers, namely Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Liszt, Mahler and Bruckner. It is evident that, in the sight of modern medicine, symptoms and forensic facts are not complete, but witnesses' reports and recent medical research have provided passable and plausible clarity. Although many questions will remain unanswered, it appears that the diseases of these composers and their causes of death have their origins in alcohol abuses, age, epidemics (like tuberculosis) and syphilis.

scholarly journals Causes of death in Serbia since the mid-20th century

Stanovnistvo ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-106
Author(s):  
Ivan Marinkovic
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Causes Of Death ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Total Mortality ◽  
Population Mortality ◽  
Circulatory Diseases

The structure of the leading causes of death in Serbia has considerably changed in the last half century. Diseases which presented the main threat to the population a few decades ago are now at the level of a statistical error. On the one side are causes which drastically changed their share in total mortality in this time interval, while others have shown stability and persistence among the basic causes of death. Acute infectious diseases "have been replaced" with chronic noninfectious diseases, due to the improvement of general and health conditions. One of the consequences of such changes is increased life expectancy and a larger share of older population which resulted in cardiovascular diseases and tumors to dominate more and more in total mortality. Convergent trends in the structure of the leading causes of death in Serbia from the middle of the 20th century are the reasons why there are considerably fewer diseases and causes with a significant rate in total population mortality at the beginning of the 21st century. During the 1950s, there were five groups of diseases and causes which participated individually with more than 10% of population mortality (infectious diseases, heart and circulatory diseases, respiratory diseases, some perinatal conditions and undefined states) while at the beginning of the new century there were only two such groups (cardiovascular diseases and tumors). Identical trends exist in all European countries, as well as in the rest of the developed world. The leading causes of death in Serbia are cardiovascular diseases. An average of somewhat over 57.000 people died annually in the period from 2007 - 2009, which represents 55.5% of total population mortality. Women are more numerous among the deceased and this difference is increasing due to population feminization. The most frequent cause of death in Serbia, after heart and circulatory diseases, are tumors, which caused 21,415 deaths in 2009. Neoplasms are responsible for one fifth of all deaths. Their number has doubled in three decades, from 9,107 in 1975 to about 20,000 at the beginning of the 21st century, whereby tumors have become the fastest growing cause of death. Least changes in absolute number of deaths in the last half century were marked among violent deaths. Observed by gender, men are in average three times more numerous among violent deaths than women. In the middle of the 20th century in Serbia, one third of the deaths caused by violence were younger than 25 and as many as one half were younger than 35 years old. Only one tenth (11%) of total number of violent deaths were from the age group of 65 or older. At the end of the first decade of the 21st century (2009), the share of population younger than 25 in the total number of violent deaths was decreased four times (and amounted to 8%). At the same time, the rate of those older than 65 or more quadrupled (amounted to 39%).

scholarly journals Does parental permissiveness toward cigarette smoking and alcohol use influence illicit drug use among adolescents? A longitudinal study in seven European countries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emina Mehanović ◽  
Federica Vigna-Taglianti ◽  
Fabrizio Faggiano ◽  
Maria Rosaria Galanti ◽  
Barbara Zunino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Cigarette Smoking ◽  
Longitudinal Data ◽  
Illicit Drug ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Illicit Drug Use ◽  
European Countries ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Purpose Adolescents’ perceptions of parental norms may influence their substance use. The relationship between parental norms toward cigarette and alcohol use, and the use of illicit substances among their adolescent children is not sufficiently investigated. The purpose of this study was to analyze this relationship, including gender differences, using longitudinal data from a large population-based study. Methods The present study analyzed longitudinal data from 3171 12- to 14-year-old students in 7 European countries allocated to the control arm of the European Drug Addiction Prevention trial. The impact of parental permissiveness toward cigarettes and alcohol use reported by the students at baseline on illicit drug use at 6-month follow-up was analyzed through multilevel logistic regression models, stratified by gender. Whether adolescents’ own use of cigarette and alcohol mediated the association between parental norms and illicit drug use was tested through mediation models. Results Parental permissive norms toward cigarette smoking and alcohol use at baseline predicted adolescents’ illicit drug use at follow-up. The association was stronger among boys than among girls and was mediated by adolescents’ own cigarette and alcohol use. Conclusion Perceived parental permissiveness toward the use of legal drugs predicted adolescents’ use of illicit drugs, especially among boys. Parents should be made aware of the importance of norm setting, and supported in conveying clear messages of disapproval of all substances.

Commercial Fishing as an Occupational Determinant of Opioid Overdoses and Deaths of Despair in Two Massachusetts Fishing Ports, 2000–2014

2021 ◽  
pp. 104829112110234
Author(s):  
Scott Fulmer ◽  
Shruti Jain ◽  
David Kriebel
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Death Certificate ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Overdose ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Opioid Epidemic ◽  
Death Certificate Data ◽  
Deaths Of Despair

The opioid epidemic has had disproportionate effects across various sectors of the population, differentially impacting various occupations. Commercial fishing has among the highest rates of occupational fatalities in the United States. This study used death certificate data from two Massachusetts fishing ports to calculate proportionate mortality ratios of fatal opioid overdose as a cause of death in commercial fishing. Statistically significant proportionate mortality ratios revealed that commercial fishermen were greater than four times more likely to die from opioid poisoning than nonfishermen living in the same fishing ports. These important quantitative findings suggest opioid overdoses, and deaths to diseases of despair in general, deserve further study in prevention, particularly among those employed in commercial fishing.

scholarly journals Causes of death and comorbidities in hospitalized patients with COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sefer Elezkurtaj ◽  
Selina Greuel ◽  
Jana Ihlow ◽  
Edward Georg Michaelis ◽  
Philip Bischoff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Causes Of Death ◽  
Pulmonary Infection ◽  
Diffuse Alveolar Damage ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Teaching Hospitals ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Clinical Records ◽  
Full Body

AbstractInfection by the new corona virus strain SARS-CoV-2 and its related syndrome COVID-19 has been associated with more than two million deaths worldwide. Patients of higher age and with preexisting chronic health conditions are at an increased risk of fatal disease outcome. However, detailed information on causes of death and the contribution of pre-existing health conditions to death yet is missing, which can be reliably established by autopsy only. We performed full body autopsies on 26 patients that had died after SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 at the Charité University Hospital Berlin, Germany, or at associated teaching hospitals. We systematically evaluated causes of death and pre-existing health conditions. Additionally, clinical records and death certificates were evaluated. We report findings on causes of death and comorbidities of 26 decedents that had clinically presented with severe COVID-19. We found that septic shock and multi organ failure was the most common immediate cause of death, often due to suppurative pulmonary infection. Respiratory failure due to diffuse alveolar damage presented as immediate cause of death in fewer cases. Several comorbidities, such as hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and obesity were present in the vast majority of patients. Our findings reveal that causes of death were directly related to COVID-19 in the majority of decedents, while they appear not to be an immediate result of preexisting health conditions and comorbidities. We therefore suggest that the majority of patients had died of COVID-19 with only contributory implications of preexisting health conditions to the mechanism of death.

scholarly journals 643 Autopsy review of chimeric-antigen receptor T cell therapy: a single institution experience

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A680-A680
Author(s):  
KiBeom Kwon ◽  
David Woolston ◽  
Alexandre Hirayama ◽  
Damian Green ◽  
David Maloney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Cell Therapy ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Causes Of Death ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Single Institution ◽  
T Cell Therapy ◽  
Car T Cell ◽  
Car T Cell Therapy ◽  
Car T

BackgroundOur institution has treated over 300 patients with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapy (CAR T-cell therapy) since 2013. Phase I and II trials were primarily based on heavily treated patients with B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), aggressive diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and multiple myeloma (MM) who had failed multiple lines of prior chemotherapy and/or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In these relapsed and/or refractory patients, CAR-T therapy resulted in complete remission in 93% of B-ALL, 60% of DLBCL, and ~80% of MM. Our Pathology Group at Fred Hutch have reviewed and diagnosed various patients with interesting relapse or complications as a result of CAR T-cell therapy. Here we present a retrospective review of autopsies from CAR T-cell therapy.MethodsA search for all autopsies conducted on patients from Seattle Cancer Care Alliance/University of Washington Medical Center was performed using the keywords ‘CAR T’ and ‘Chimeric-antigen’. Our inclusion criteria were patients treated with CAR T-cell therapy. Pathology and clinical records were reviewed for cause of death, disease and treatment timelines, microbiology data, cytokine levels, other pathology biopsies, and pertinent laboratory values. Histologic tissues were reviewed.ResultsTwelve autopsies were performed since 2013. Patient characteristics and causes of death are summarized in table 1. The most common cause of death was due to infectious causes (n=6). Two patients (Patients 10 and 11) had cardiovascular related deaths. Six patients (Patients 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 12) suffered from CRS in their post-infusion course, four of whom (Patients 1, 2, 7, 10) had CRS directly attributed as the cause of death. CRS was further complicated by immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) in 5 patients (Patients 1, 5, 6, 7, and 12). CRS with ICANS was the second most common cause of death in patients treated with CAR T-cells. Three patients (Patients 1, 4, 9) had progression of disease that attributed to cause of death.Abstract 643 Table 1Patient characteristics: age, sex, original diagnosis, CAR target, cause of death, and days post-CAR T-cell infusion at time of deathConclusionsCAR T-cell therapy is a highly effective treatment even for patients who have relapsed and/or refractory disease. Post-therapy complications range in severity and may be fatal in rare instances as in the patients summarized in this study. Infection, CRS with ICANS are the most common causes of death in our single institution study.Ethics ApprovalThe study was approved by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’s Institutional Review Board, approval number 1837ConsentWritten informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this abstract and any accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor of this journal.

scholarly journals Lifetime and past-month substance use and injection among street-based female sex workers in Iran

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Payam Roshanfekr ◽  
Mehrdad Khezri ◽  
Salah Eddin Karimi ◽  
Meroe Vameghi ◽  
Delaram Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Injection Drug Use ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Female Sex Workers ◽  
Injection Drug ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Female Sex ◽  
History Of ◽  
Group Sex

Abstract Background Street-based female sex workers (FSWs) are highly at risk of HIV and other harms associated with sex work. We assessed the prevalence of non-injection and injection drug use and their associated factors among street-based FSWs in Iran. Methods We recruited 898 FSWs from 414 venues across 19 major cities in Iran between October 2016 and March 2017. Correlates of lifetime and past-month non-injection and injection drug use were assessed through multivariable logistic regression models. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. Results Lifetime and past-month non-injection drug use were reported by 60.3% (95% CI 51, 84) and 47.2% (95% CI 38, 67) of FSWs, respectively. The prevalence of lifetime and past-month injection drug use were 8.6% (95% CI 6.9, 10.7) and 3.7% (95% CI 2.6, 5.2), respectively. Recent non-injection drug use was associated with divorced marital status (AOR 2.00, 95% CI 1.07, 3.74), temporary marriage (AOR 4.31 [1.79, 10.40]), had > 30 clients per month (AOR 2.76 [1.29, 5.90]), ever alcohol use (AOR 3.03 [1.92, 6.79]), and history of incarceration (AOR 7.65 [3.89, 15.30]). Similarly, lifetime injection drug use was associated with ever alcohol use (AOR 2.74 [1.20–6.20]), ever incarceration (AOR 5.06 [2.48–10.28]), and ever group sex (AOR 2.44 [1.21–4.92]). Conclusions Non-injection and injection drug use are prevalent among street-based FSWs in Iran. Further prevention programs are needed to address and reduce harms associated with drug use among this vulnerable population in Iran.

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