Lena Savoie
Alcohol-related deaths have been on the rise in the US, with a near 50% increase in two decades. The CDC estimates that nearly 138,000 people die annually from alcohol-related causes, including motor vehicle crashes, alcohol poisoning, cancer, and cirrhosis. By 2020-2021, this figure had risen to over 178,000 deaths per year. The CDC calculates alcohol-related deaths using the Alcohol-Related Disease Impact application, which assesses 58 conditions linked to alcohol consumption. The CDC also tracks alcohol-attributable deaths and years of potential life lost, with an estimated 104,946 years lost annually due to excessive alcohol use. State-level data reflects averages from 2015-2019, with New Mexico having the highest death rate per capita and Missouri the lowest. Alcohol-related cancer deaths have also surged, with liver cancer being the most common, followed by colon and esophageal cancer.
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What You'll Learn
Alcohol-related deaths by state
Alcohol-related deaths in the US have increased by nearly 50% in the last two decades, with 261 alcohol-related deaths occurring daily. The CDC calculates alcohol-related deaths using the Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) application, which defines deaths based on the underlying cause for 58 alcohol-related conditions. These conditions include chronic causes such as liver disease and acute causes such as alcohol poisoning and suicide. The ARDI application estimates that there are more than 178,000 deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use annually. However, it is important to note that the estimates generated by the ARDI should not be compared with estimates from previous versions of the application due to scientific updates.
When examining alcohol-related deaths by state, New Mexico had the highest death rate from alcohol-involved causes in 2019, with 34.3 deaths per 100,000 people. In contrast, Missouri had the lowest rate of alcohol-related deaths, with 544.6 per 100,000 residents. Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, and Utah also had low rates of alcohol-related deaths. The death rate from excessive alcohol use in Hawaii is below average, but it has the highest prevalence of male binge drinking in the country. Alabama has the third-highest rate of under-21 deaths related to excessive alcohol use, with 13.6% of adults over 18 binge drinking at least once a month.
The increase in alcohol-related deaths is more pronounced in non-metropolitan areas, with small and medium-sized metropolitan areas also seeing significant rises. Large metropolitan areas had the fewest deaths and the smallest increase in the death rate. Additionally, alcohol-related death rates vary widely across states, with the Western US generally experiencing higher rates.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted alcohol consumption and related deaths. Surveys indicate an increase in alcohol consumption and high-risk drinking behaviors during the pandemic, with 15.4% of adults nationwide reporting increased alcohol consumption due to stress. While data on alcohol-related deaths for 2020 will not be available for some time, initial estimates show a 25.5% increase in alcohol-related deaths among people ages 16 and older in the first year of the pandemic.
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Alcohol-attributable causes
Alcohol-related deaths have been on an upward trajectory in the US, with a nearly 50% increase in two decades. The CDC estimates that 104,946 years of potential life are lost annually due to excessive alcohol consumption. This figure represents the collective impact of various alcohol-attributable causes, which can be both acute and chronic in nature.
Acute Alcohol-Attributable Causes
Acute alcohol-related causes refer to sudden or immediate consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. These causes often have a short period between onset and death. Here are some of the critical acute causes:
- Motor vehicle accidents: Alcohol-related crashes are a leading cause of death, with a significant number of fatalities per 100,000 residents.
- Suicide: Alcohol consumption can increase the risk of suicide, and in some cases, it is identified as the primary cause of death.
- Homicides: Alcohol can be a contributing factor in violent incidents that result in death.
- Other accidents: Excessive alcohol use can impair judgment and coordination, increasing the risk of fatal accidents, such as falls or drowning.
Chronic Alcohol-Attributable Causes
Chronic alcohol-attributable causes are long-term health conditions that develop over time due to excessive alcohol consumption. These causes often result from prolonged and repeated alcohol abuse. Some of the significant chronic causes include:
- Liver disease: Alcoholic liver disease is a chronic condition that can lead to cirrhosis and, eventually, liver failure. It is one of the leading causes of alcohol-related deaths.
- Cancer: Alcohol consumption is a known risk factor for various cancers, including liver, colon, esophageal, and pharynx cancers. The sharpest rise in alcohol-linked cancer deaths is seen in colon cancer.
- Cardiovascular issues: Excessive alcohol use can contribute to cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
- Pancreatitis: Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to inflammation of the pancreas, a condition known as pancreatitis, which can be chronic and life-threatening.
- Mental health disorders: Alcohol abuse can increase the risk of developing mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety, which can have fatal consequences if left untreated.
It is important to note that the impact of alcohol-attributable causes varies across different demographics. For example, men generally experience more lost years than women, and certain states, like New Mexico, have higher alcohol-related death rates per capita. Additionally, age plays a role, with 50- to 64-year-olds being more likely to succumb to chronic alcohol abuse than acute alcohol-related causes.
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Alcohol-related deaths by age
Alcohol-related deaths have been increasing over the past two decades, with a 49% increase in alcohol-involved deaths between 2006 and 2019. The CDC calculates alcohol-related deaths by attributing them to the underlying cause of death, rather than multiple causes. This includes deaths from fully alcohol-attributable causes, such as alcohol poisoning and alcoholic liver disease, and partially alcohol-attributable deaths, such as motor vehicle crashes and certain types of cancer.
When examining alcohol-related deaths by age, it is evident that the rate of alcohol-attributable deaths increases with age, with adults aged 55 to 64 having the highest rate of deaths related to alcohol. In 2019, the death rate for this age group was 32.5 people per 100,000, compared to 0.5 per 100,000 for young adults aged 18 to 24. The rate of death increases steadily after young adulthood and then declines past the age of 64.
Among teenagers who die from excessive alcohol use, 96.5% die from acute causes such as suicide or car accidents, while chronic conditions are the primary cause of death for 85.9% of people aged 65 and older. Southern states have the highest rates of alcohol-related deaths due to acute causes, while states in the West and Southeast suffer the most years lost to alcohol-related deaths per capita.
Additionally, alcohol-related deaths vary by race, with American Indians/Alaskan Natives having the highest death rates, followed by White/Caucasians. The death rate for all races increased between 2006 and 2019, with the most significant jump occurring among White individuals.
Overall, men are more likely to die from alcohol-related causes than women, and certain diseases like breast cancer and low birth weight prematurity are exclusive to women in the top 10 alcohol-related deaths. Alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in most states, and drunk driving fatalities account for 28% of all overall driving fatalities.
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Alcohol-related deaths by gender
Alcohol-related deaths refer to deaths caused by both chronic and acute alcohol consumption. Chronic alcohol consumption leads to conditions such as liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, while acute alcohol consumption is associated with injuries and accidents, including motor vehicle crashes, violence, and suicide.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol is one of the leading preventable causes of death in the United States, with approximately 178,000 deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use annually. Of these, about 120,000 are male deaths, and 59,000 are female deaths. This gender disparity is also evident worldwide, with approximately 2 million alcohol-related deaths among men and 600,000 among women in 2019.
Several factors contribute to the higher number of alcohol-related deaths among men. Firstly, men are more likely to engage in risky drinking behaviours, such as binge drinking and heavy alcohol consumption. This is supported by statistics from Hawaii, where 20.9% of adults over 18 binge drink at least once a month, and the majority of drinkers are male. Secondly, certain alcohol-related diseases and conditions affect men more severely than women. For example, men tend to experience more lost years of life due to alcohol-related chronic diseases. Additionally, unique risks for women, such as breast cancer and low birth weight prematurity, can also be indirectly attributed to alcohol consumption.
While the exact calculation methods may vary, the CDC and other organizations consider various factors when attributing deaths to alcohol consumption. These include the underlying cause of death, alcohol-attributable causes, and multiple causes of death. Additionally, the CDC tracks alcohol-attributable deaths and years of potential life lost, comparing the ages at which people died with their typical life expectancies.
To summarize, alcohol-related deaths disproportionately affect men, with a significant gender gap evident in both the United States and worldwide data. This disparity can be attributed to higher-risk drinking behaviours among men and the differential impact of alcohol-related diseases on men and women. Organizations like the CDC play a crucial role in tracking and understanding alcohol-related deaths, employing various methods to calculate and address this tragic issue.
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Alcohol-related deaths by cause
Alcohol-related deaths are calculated by the CDC by tracking alcohol-attributable deaths and years of potential life lost. The CDC's Alcohol-Related Disease Impact application assesses 58 conditions linked to alcohol consumption. Alcohol-related deaths are divided into chronic diseases and acute causes. Chronic diseases include alcoholic liver disease, while acute causes include homicides, suicides, and car accidents.
Chronic alcohol abuse is a significant cause of death among older adults, with 85.9% of people aged 65 and older dying from excessive alcohol use due to chronic conditions. In contrast, 96.5% of teenagers who die from alcohol use pass away due to acute causes.
Alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents are the most common acute cause of alcohol-related deaths. In 2021, an estimated 23,207 people died from alcohol-caused cancer, a sharp increase from 1990 when 11,896 deaths were recorded. Liver cancer was the most common alcohol-related cancer, followed by colon and esophageal cancer.
Alcohol abuse also contributes to deaths from other types of cancer. Among women, Washington, DC, had the highest rate of alcohol-related cancer deaths, with 3.6 fatalities per 100,000 people. The study also found that alcohol-related cancer deaths among men were increasing, while those among women were decreasing.
Southern states in the US experience the highest rates of alcohol-related deaths due to acute causes, such as accidents and homicides. New Mexico has the highest alcohol-related death rate per capita. Binge drinking is also prevalent in certain states, with Alabama and Hawaii having high rates.
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Frequently asked questions
Alcohol-related deaths are deaths in which an alcohol-attributable cause was listed as the "underlying cause of death" (i.e., the direct cause), rather than a "multiple cause of death" (i.e., a contributing cause).
Alcohol-related deaths can be caused by chronic diseases (such as alcoholic liver disease) or acute causes, with a very short period between onset and death (such as homicides or motor vehicle accidents).
Alcohol-related deaths in the US increased by nearly 50% between 2000 and 2019, with death rates from total alcohol-related causes growing significantly in 11 out of 13 years. By 2020-2021, alcohol contributed to more than 178,000 US deaths per year on average.
The CDC uses data from its Alcohol-Related Disease Impact application, which assesses 58 conditions linked to alcohol consumption. This data is used to estimate the number of alcohol-related deaths and years of potential life lost due to alcohol.
