Alcohol blamed for 1,700 deaths in a decade
Related Articles
Alcohol has caused the deaths of at least 1,775 people over the best part of a decade -- and the predictions are bleak particularly for middle-aged women, a major new report has revealed.
As many as six-in-10 people were just 60 years of age or younger when they died -- underlining the increased role drink plays in premature deaths.
The findings from the Health Research Board to be released today give a stark picture of the toll that rising levels of drinking are having on the population.
The report shows 1,775 have died as a result of problem alcohol use between 1995 and 2004, double the number over previous years.
Dr Deirdre Mongan, research officer with the Health Research Board, said the trends have serious implications for women's health. The age profile of women discharged from hospital with alcohol-related illness was much lower than that of men.
Women accounted for 47pc of all discharges aged under 18, between 1995 and 2004 -- the years in the study.
Surprise
"This is a very high proportion but it really should not be a surprise as a lot of evidence has indicated that young girls are drinking a lot more in the last 10 years.
"The point is, women develop alcohol-related complications earlier in the drinking career than men. So, if the current trend continues , there will be significant increases in long-term illness and a greater risk of death linked to problem alcohol use among middle-aged women," Dr Morgan warned.
The report found alcohol consumption in the population has increased by 17pc over the past 11 years, rising from 11.5 litres per person annually in 1995 to 13.4 litres in 2006.
"This rise in consumption has led to increases in alcohol-related harm and disease, and has resulted in more than 1,775 deaths. This has created escalating pressures on our health and hospital services," it said.
Impact
The report highlighted strong evidence of the impact of alcohol-related illness on hospital services. The number of people discharged from hospital with alcohol-related problems or injuries increased by almost 90pc between 1995 and 2004.
In 2004, people with alcohol-related illness used 117,373 bed days in hospital -- more than double the figure of 55,805 bed days in 1995.
"These figures from the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) are remarkable," said Dr Mongan at a briefing yesterday.
"Moreover, because HIPE does not record people attending accident and emergency who are not actually admitted to a hospital bed, it is fair to assume that these figures actually underestimate the pressure of problem alcohol use on acute hospital services."
"People were admitted to hospital both for acute problems such as alcohol-related accidents and for chronic problems such as alcohol dependence.
"The largest increase was in the number of discharges with alcohol-related liver disease, which increased by 147pc between 1995 and 2004."
Comment: page 30
- Eilish O'Regan Health Correspondent
