A study released by the CDC and Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research on February 29 reveals a rise in deaths caused by alcohol-related factors in the United States over the last two decades.
The study identified 58 specific causes of death associated with excessive alcohol consumption.
Throughout the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021, fatalities from excessive alcohol use surged by 26.8% among men and 34.7% among women. Among women, deaths from excessive alcohol use spiked by approximately 35% from 2016-17 to 2020-21, with the highest death rates attributed to heart disease and stroke.
The new data analyzed deaths directly caused by alcohol consumption, such as alcoholic liver disease or acute intoxication, as well as indirect factors like the impact of heavy drinking on heart disease and stroke.
The report suggests that the increased availability of alcohol in many states may have contributed to this rise. During the COVID-19 pandemic peak in 2020-2021, policies were implemented to expand alcohol delivery services, and establishments selling alcohol were considered essential businesses in many states.
Factors like delays in seeking medical care and stress likely contributed to the surge in deaths from excessive alcohol use during the pandemic.
The CDC recommends that states and communities discourage excessive alcohol use and reverse the recent increase in alcohol-related deaths by implementing strategies like decreasing alcohol accessibility and availability and raising alcohol prices.
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