Nobel Laureate Angus Deaton has written extensively about an overlooked health crisis among working-class, middle-age whites in the United States that has led to a sharp spike in death rates not seen in African Americans, Hispanic Americans or any group in other rich countries. Deaton calls these “deaths of despair,” which result “from a long-standing process of cumulative disadvantage for those with less than a college degree.” This pile up in disadvantages means increased mortality from drug overdoses, alcohol-related liver problems, suicides and other health-related issues. “The story is rooted in the labor market, but involves many aspects of life, including health in childhood, marriage, child rearing and religion.” Deaton, a professor of economics and international affairs at Princeton University, won the Nobel Prize for economics in 2015 for his analysis of consumption, poverty and welfare.…