A new study published in the American Journal of Public Health calculated how many U.S. deaths are linked social factors every year, including poverty and social support. Researchers found that approximately 245,000 deaths in the United States in 2000 were attributable to low education, 176,000 to racial segregation, 162,000 to low social support, 133,000 to individual-level poverty, 119,000 to income inequality and 39,000 to area-level poverty.
The study’s researchers suggest, “Social causes can be linked to death as readily as can pathophysiological and behavioral causes. All of these factors contribute substantially to the burden of disease in the United States, and all need focused research efforts and public health efforts to mitigate their consequences.”
For more on the findings read a recent article on the study featured in the New York Times.
