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BACKGROUND: Excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States, resulted in 80,000 deaths and 2.4 million years of potential life lost (YPLL) annually during 2001–2005 and cost $223.5 billion in 2006. The purpose of this analysis is to analyze alcohol-related deaths and YPLLs between states and by demographic characteristics.
METHODS: Eleven states participating in the CSTE Alcohol Subcommittee estimated the average annual number and alcohol-attributable death (AAD) rates and YPLL due to excessive drinking. State death certificate data from 2006–2010 were used to determine the average annual number of alcohol-related deaths for the 54 alcohol-related conditions assessed by the ARDI application and to obtain decedent demographics. Alcohol use prevalence data were obtained from state Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Systems. U.S. Census bridged-race population estimates and standard 2000 U.S. population age groups were used to calculate age-adjusted mortality rates. AAD were stratified by sex; age; and race/ethnicity. YPLL were calculated by multiplying age- and sex-specific AAD by the corresponding life expectancies obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics.
RESULTS: During 2006–2010, excessive alcohol use resulted in a median overall annual number of 1,647 deaths and 42,756 YPLL in the 11 states studied. About 2 out of 3 of these deaths and 4 out of 5 YPLL involved working-aged adults, and more than two-thirds of AAD and YPLL involved males. AAD rates varied by state, with a median AAD rate of 28.5 per 100,000 population (range: 50.9 deaths per 100,000 in New Mexico to 22.4 per 100,000 in Utah) and the median YPLL rate was 823 per 100,000 (range: 1,534 YPLL per 100,000 for New Mexico to 634 per 100,000 in Utah). Although the majority of AAD involved white, non-Hispanics, the median AAD rate for AI/AN (60.6 per 100,000) was twice as high as the AAD rate for any other racial or ethnic group. The median age-adjusted AAD rate for men (42.4 per 100,000) was more than twice the rate for women (15.8 per 100,000). The median number of YPLL and median YPLL rates were highest among decedents aged 35-49.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the ongoing public health impact of excessive drinking in the U.S. as well as the geographic and demographic disparities in AAD and YPLL. More widespread implementation of Community Guide–recommended interventions (e.g., measures controlling access to alcohol and increasing prices) could reduce excessive alcohol consumption and related health and economic costs.