Disciplines
Geographic Information Sciences | Human Geography
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Diseases of despair are a set of behaviors that can cause a significant amount of mortality within a population. These behaviors, which typically include drug abuse, alcoholism, and suicides, have existed for quite some time. However, the idea of “Diseases of Despair” is fairly recent. In 2015, researchers Anna Case and Angus Deaton first coined the concept while studying an increase in mortality and decrease in life expectancy amongst middle-aged, white populations in different rural communities. They theorized that external pressures, like economic insecurity and increased morbidity, were driving these populations to seek out dangerous methods to relieve their stress. This theory has acted as a base for several studies regarding our insights into diseases of despair, as well as how these diseases can impact communities in places like the Appalachian region. However, very few studies have examined patterns of these diseases in the state of Georgia and even fewer have examined the Atlanta Metropolitan area. As such, the primary goal of this study is to utilize ArcGIS software to identify spatial patterns of despair behaviors within the region while also investigating environmental and economic trends in the metro area that could influence the presence of diseases of despair. The results of this study found that there wasn’t a direct correlation between diseases of despair and four social determinants that directly influence health outcomes. That said, it is possible that the observed despair mortalities may have resulted from the unexpected hardships, strain on healthcare resources, and general decline in mental well-being brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research comparing the presence of diseases of despair before and post-pandemic is needed to test if this hypothesis is true.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Geography & Anthropology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Paul McDaniel
GIS for Public Health: Exploring Diseases of Despair in Metro Atlanta
Diseases of despair are a set of behaviors that can cause a significant amount of mortality within a population. These behaviors, which typically include drug abuse, alcoholism, and suicides, have existed for quite some time. However, the idea of “Diseases of Despair” is fairly recent. In 2015, researchers Anna Case and Angus Deaton first coined the concept while studying an increase in mortality and decrease in life expectancy amongst middle-aged, white populations in different rural communities. They theorized that external pressures, like economic insecurity and increased morbidity, were driving these populations to seek out dangerous methods to relieve their stress. This theory has acted as a base for several studies regarding our insights into diseases of despair, as well as how these diseases can impact communities in places like the Appalachian region. However, very few studies have examined patterns of these diseases in the state of Georgia and even fewer have examined the Atlanta Metropolitan area. As such, the primary goal of this study is to utilize ArcGIS software to identify spatial patterns of despair behaviors within the region while also investigating environmental and economic trends in the metro area that could influence the presence of diseases of despair. The results of this study found that there wasn’t a direct correlation between diseases of despair and four social determinants that directly influence health outcomes. That said, it is possible that the observed despair mortalities may have resulted from the unexpected hardships, strain on healthcare resources, and general decline in mental well-being brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research comparing the presence of diseases of despair before and post-pandemic is needed to test if this hypothesis is true.