Deaths of despair: How income inequality puts Canadian youth at risk

Income inequality is the gap between the highest and lowest earners in a given area. It can contribute to people's risk of poor health, and specifically mental health. (Shutterstock)

Income inequality has been linked to poor physical and mental health in past research, but more recent evidence suggests the issue of income inequality may be much more severe than previously expected.

While completing my PhD in epidemiology at the University of Alberta, I published a study highlighting an association between experiencing income inequality in youth and deaths of despair among young Canadians.