Deaths from Excessive Alcohol Use in the United States

Death rates in males are more than double that of females and people who reside in rural areas have death rates higher than those who live in urban areas (Figure 2). This interactive map shows the annual average alcohol consumption of alcohol, expressed per person aged 15 years or older. To account for the differences in alcohol content of different alcoholic drinks (e.g., beer, wine, spirits), this is reported in liters of pure alcohol per year.

Utah Alcohol Abuse Statistics

Underage drinkers are slightly less common among alcohol-related deaths in Washington. South Dakota has an elevated rate of alcohol-related deaths per capita and a high rate of under-21 deaths. Oregon’s alcohol-related deaths are among the nation’s oldest, with chronic abuse the most significant cause of death. https://wyomingdigest.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ North Carolina has a low rate of alcohol-related deaths per capita and a low rate of under-21 deaths. Mississippi has a high rate of under-21 alcohol-related deaths and the second-highest rate of deaths from acute causes. Maine has one of the nation’s lowest rates of under-21 alcohol-related deaths.

Historical perspective on alcohol consumption

  • Alcohol, the most commonly used substance in the United States, has far-reaching health consequences that impact not only individual patients but the entire healthcare system.
  • Alcohol-related deaths in Idaho are more likely to be older, chronic alcohol users.

Beer contains around 5% of pure alcohol per volume1 so that one liter of beer contains 0.05 liters of pure alcohol. Alcohol consumption – whilst a risk factor for a number of health outcomes – typically has the greatest negative impacts when consumed within heavy sessions. Utah has the second-highest rate of female alcohol-related deaths and has the highest percentage of deaths due to acute causes.

Global beer consumption

The percentage of alcohol-attributable deaths among men amounts to 7.7 % of all global deaths compared to 2.6 % of all deaths among women. Total alcohol per capita consumption in 2016 among male and female drinkers worldwide was on average 19.4 litres of pure alcohol for males and 7.0 litres for females. Rates of alcohol-induced deaths have risen over the past 2 decades, with a sharp increase during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the period, the largest overall annual increase occurred between 2019 and 2020, where the rate increased 26%, from 10.4 per 100,000 standard population to 13.1.

alcoholism statistics

Alcohol deaths in 2022 were highest among people aged 45 to 64, males, people living in rural areas, and AIAN people. Alcohol death rates for AIAN people are by far the highest–5 times higher than death rates for White people, the racial group with the next highest prevalence. Across age groups, people aged 45 to 64 have the highest alcohol death rate, followed by 65+.

  • Alcohol has historically, and continues to, hold an important role in social engagement and bonding for many.
  • Societal factors include level of economic development, culture, social norms, availability of alcohol, and implementation and enforcement of alcohol policies.
  • This surveillance report on 1977–2021 apparent per capita alcohol consumption in the United States is the 37th in a series of consumption reports produced annually by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
  • Further, recent changes to SUD confidentiality regulations are expected to simplify the diagnosis and coordination of care for individuals with substance use disorders (SUD).
  • At the same time as you ask your healthcare provider for a referral to a specialist, call your state or territory’s early intervention program.

Connecticut Alcohol Abuse Statistics

Alcohol consumption by an expectant mother may cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and pre-term birth complications. The harmful use of alcohol can also result in harm to other people, such as family members, friends, co-workers and strangers. All authors have completed and submitted the International Sober House Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. Adam Sherk reports institutional support from the Canadian Cancer Society and Canadian Institutes for Health Research. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Following the ethanol conversions, gallons of ethanol for beer, wine, and spirits are summed to gallons of ethanol for all beverages. This surveillance report on 1977–2021 apparent per capita alcohol consumption in the United States is the 37th in a series of consumption reports produced annually by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Findings are based on alcoholic beverage sales data collected by the Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System (AEDS) from the States or from the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association and from various reports produced by beverage industry sources. There are gender differences in alcohol-related mortality and morbidity, as well as levels and patterns of alcohol consumption.

alcoholism statistics

Alcohol is responsible for many premature deaths each year

It also includes binge drinking — a pattern of drinking where a male has five or more drinks within two hours or a female has at least four drinks within two hours. Alcohol use disorder involves a loss of control over the ability to drink moderately. This loss of control results in negative consequences that impact relationships, physical and mental health, and the ability to fulfill role obligations. Alcohol is used in increasing amounts to achieve the same effect, a phenomenon known as tolerance, and its absence results in withdrawal symptoms. Patients with AUD experience intense cravings for alcohol that drive ongoing consumption. In 2022, New Mexico’s death rate was the highest at 42.7 per 100,000 people, which was more than six times higher than Hawaii, the state with the lowest rate at 7.1 per 100,000 people (Figure 4).

Alcohol deaths have steadily climbed over the past decade, a trend that accelerated during the pandemic (Figure 1). When adjusted for population growth and age, the alcohol death rate has risen by 70% from 2012 to 2022, moving from 7.97 to 13.53 deaths per 100,000 people. Although deaths fell somewhat in 2022, they remain far higher than a decade ago. From 2012 to 2019, the year over year rise in deaths rates averaged about 4% per year, and then jumped during early pandemic years, with the biggest rise from 2019 to 2020. Other data mirror this trend – emergency department (ED) visits for SUD are on the rise and account for twice the number of ED visits compared to opioids. Alcohol related ED visits account for nearly half of all SUD related visits (45%), far higher than the next highest group, opioids, accounting for 13% of ED visits.

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