The study found evidence of a causal link between automation and increasing mortality, driven largely by increased 'deaths of despair' such as suicides and drug overdoses. This is particularly true for males and females aged 45 to 54, according to the study. Researchers also found evidence of increased mortality across multiple age and sex groups from causes as varied as cancer and heart disease.
Public policy, including strong social-safety-net programs, higher minimum wages and limiting the supply of prescription opioids could help blunt automation’s effects on a community’s health, the researchers concluded.
“For decades, manufacturers in the United States have turned to automation to remain competitive in a global marketplace, but this technological innovation has reduced the number of quality jobs available to adults without a college degree – a group that has faced increased mortality in recent years,” said lead author Rourke O’Brien, assistant...