Rockers die younger than most people

William Atkins
Friday, 14 March 2008 19:32

Science - Health

The researchers state that rock and pop stars are often used to advertise positive health messages.
However, based on their study, the researchers state that advertisers should use caution when using rock and pop stars to promote such messages because their personnel activities may not directly correspond to such health lifestyles.

In addition, the researchers warn that young people often look up to rock and pop stars. Such high mortality rates for such musicians may be detrimental to these impressionable young people.

They state, “Increasingly, communication of health-promoting messages to young people is being undertaken by pop stars and other celebrity figures. However, more needs to be learnt about how such interventions actually affect young people’s behaviour and whether they work to promote positive health messages or, conversely, risk-taking lifestyles.”

The researchers recommend that additional research be performed to learn more about the relationship of the health of the rich and famous and the general population.

Possible collaboration between the heath and music industry may help to learn more about this subject.

Read up on the death of famous musicians at “Blender’s 50 Most Awesome Dead Rock Stars,” “Tribute to Dead Rock Stars,” and “Dead Rock Stars Tribute Website.”

The article “Elvis to Eminem: quantifying the price of fame through early mortality of European and North American rock and pop stars” is written by authors Mark A Bellis, Tom Hennell, Clare Lushey, Karen Hughes, Karen Tocque, John R Ashton (all associated with the Center for Public Health, Liverpoor John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom) and Tom Hennell (from the Public Health Group, Government Office for the North West of England, Manchester, United Kingdom).

The article appears in the October 2007 issue of The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. The research report is also found online at “Elvis to Eminem.”