Deaths of Despair is a term that describes fatalities from alcohol and drugs as well as suicide. Such deaths are nothing new, of course, but an array of social and economic factors influence where and when they are most common.

The American Communities Project, with funding from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundations, explores these deaths through the lens of 15 community types. Some of the findings are startling, including data from Georgia.

Georgia Health News is a media partner for the series, which will also investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Deaths of Despair in the United States. The Well Being Trust has already written that the pandemic could lead to an additional 75,000 deaths from alcohol, drugs, and suicide.

Here’s the first installment of the series, written by Dante Chinni.