Economic and Sociological Factors of Deaths of Despair in Sweden and Norway: A Regional Panel Data Approach

Sammanfattning: I employ a descriptive study design to examine the relationship between the rate of deaths of despair and higher education, unemployment, gross regional product per capita, divorce, and sex ratios. Aggregate regional data is used. A first analysis is performed in Sweden across age and sex groups. A second analysis is performed in Sweden and Norway jointly. A regional fixed effects panel regression is used for both analyses and covers the years 2005-2020. The rates of deaths of despair were found to be constant or decreasing in Sweden and Norway. Males aged 50- 64 are by far the most affected group of deaths of despair among the working age population. A significant association between the gross regional product and the rate of deaths of despair was found among males aged 50-64 in Sweden. A possible strong association between the rate of deaths of despair and the higher education rate and/or the GRP per capita was found for males and females aged 35-49. No significant associations were found in the joint analysis of Sweden and Norway.