The Health Crisis of Middle-Aged Whites
By now there's a good chance you've heard of the disturbing study from Princeton economists showing that middle-aged white Americans are the only demographic showing increasing death rates.
Only the 45-54 age segment, and only in the United States. Worse yet, the rise in deaths is due to suicide and substance abuse. One of the study's authors described it: "Only H.I.V./AIDS in contemporary times has done anything like this."
It's impossible to draw a simple line of direct causation to a tragedy of this magnitude, but there are some compelling correlations.
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The rise of powerful addictive prescription drugs plays a significant role. Prescription drugs have eclipsed illegal drugs as the leading cause of drug-related death, and they are widely available, particularly to the middle class. Of course, no one is seriously arguing that we turn away from these medications, but doctors should have a greater awareness of how they are impacting patients, and our culture needs to come to grips with how to look out for and help friends and family who suffer from addiction.
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/suicide-poverty-why-are-middle-aged-white-people-dying-149837/#YxhQFr3LdQy2ItQC.99
