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By analyzing death certificates, researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) in Bethesda, Maryland, found that the rate of alcohol-related deaths in the US increased by 50 percent between 1999 and 2017 and the number of alcohol-related deaths per year doubled. This new research adds to the growing body of evidence that the mental, physical and social well-being of Americans is deteriorating.
Neuroscientist Aaron White and colleagues at the NIAAA analyzed data taken from all death certificates filed in the US between 1999 and 2017. Using listed causes of death and contributing factors they found that the rate of alcohol-related deaths of Americans 16 years old or older rose from 16.9 to 25.5 per 100,000 and the number of deaths per year doubled, from 35,914 to 72,558. Alcohol caused or contributed to the death of 944,880 Americans during that 18-year span. Their findings were published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
"Rates increased for all age-groups except 160 to 20 and 75+," the researchers write, "and for all racial and ethnic groups except for initial decreases among Hispanic males and [Non-Hispanic] Blacks followed by increases."
Almost every group was impacted. The sharpest increase was among Non-Hispanic White women. Rates of acute alcohol-related deaths rose most among people aged 55 to 64, while death rates from chronic alcohol use surged most in younger people, aged 25 to 34, and accounted for the majority of alcohol-related deaths.
As worrisome as these documented trends are, the authors point out that previous research has shown that death certificates understate what's really happening; the actual number of alcohol-related deaths is likely significantly higher than they were able to document.
The authors of this paper don't speculate about the causes of this trend. We know that they are part of the growing number of "deaths from despair" that have characterized the US for the past decades. Other researchers cite both economic and social disparities and declines as at least part of the cause. Needless to say, it's a multifaceted problem and requires an equally multifaceted set of solutions. However, until the current political balance shifts in Washington, the dislocations and inequities that underline this tragic slide are not likely to be acknowledged or addressed.
Alcohol-related deaths in US have doubled since 1999
Photo credit: Pixabay
Neuroscientist Aaron White and colleagues at the NIAAA analyzed data taken from all death certificates filed in the US between 1999 and 2017. Using listed causes of death and contributing factors they found that the rate of alcohol-related deaths of Americans 16 years old or older rose from 16.9 to 25.5 per 100,000 and the number of deaths per year doubled, from 35,914 to 72,558. Alcohol caused or contributed to the death of 944,880 Americans during that 18-year span. Their findings were published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
"Rates increased for all age-groups except 160 to 20 and 75+," the researchers write, "and for all racial and ethnic groups except for initial decreases among Hispanic males and [Non-Hispanic] Blacks followed by increases."
Almost every group was impacted. The sharpest increase was among Non-Hispanic White women. Rates of acute alcohol-related deaths rose most among people aged 55 to 64, while death rates from chronic alcohol use surged most in younger people, aged 25 to 34, and accounted for the majority of alcohol-related deaths.
As worrisome as these documented trends are, the authors point out that previous research has shown that death certificates understate what's really happening; the actual number of alcohol-related deaths is likely significantly higher than they were able to document.
The authors of this paper don't speculate about the causes of this trend. We know that they are part of the growing number of "deaths from despair" that have characterized the US for the past decades. Other researchers cite both economic and social disparities and declines as at least part of the cause. Needless to say, it's a multifaceted problem and requires an equally multifaceted set of solutions. However, until the current political balance shifts in Washington, the dislocations and inequities that underline this tragic slide are not likely to be acknowledged or addressed.
1 comment:
Interesting article. Your cousin, Judy Felsen, suggested I get in touch with you while I’m in OAX.and I found your blog. Joyce- tallitot @gmail.com. Here til April 1.
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