A significant rise in alcohol-related deaths has been observed in the United States, with the mortality rate nearly doubling over the past two decades. According to research conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles, the rate of fatalities linked to alcohol has sharply increased, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. While fewer Americans report consuming alcohol now than in previous decades, those who do are facing increasingly fatal consequences.
The study, which utilized data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), highlighted that the alcohol-related death rate surged by 89% from 1999 to 2024. The peak year was 2021, with a staggering 54,258 deaths reported. While there has been a slight decline in these figures since then, the average death rate remains 25% higher than in 2019.
Trends in Alcohol-Related Mortality
Researchers sought to clarify the specific types of deaths attributed to alcohol use and the demographics most affected. The findings revealed that the majority of alcohol-related deaths were due to alcoholic liver disease, followed by mental and behavioral health conditions stemming from alcohol consumption. Notably, deaths from alcohol poisoning remained relatively low throughout the study period, indicating that chronic alcohol use poses a greater risk than acute overdoses.
Historically, alcohol-related deaths have been more prevalent among men. However, the study’s findings indicate a concerning trend among women, particularly those aged 25-34. The data showed that this demographic experienced the largest increase in death rates during the study period. The male-to-female mortality ratio for this age group decreased from three-to-one in 1999 to two-to-one in 2024.
American Indian and Alaskan Native populations were identified as being particularly vulnerable to alcohol-related fatalities. According to Maria R. D’Orsogna, the senior author of the study and an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Computational Medicine at UCLA, the rising mortality rates among women warrant urgent attention. “Although men still die at higher rates, the gender gap appears to be closing,” she stated.
The Broader Health Implications
The researchers emphasized that their analysis focused on deaths most directly linked to alcohol use, suggesting that the overall impact of alcohol on Americans’ health may be even greater. Alcohol consumption is known to exacerbate numerous chronic health conditions, including various cancers. Other research estimates that over 178,000 deaths in the U.S. each year are associated with excessive alcohol use.
The urgent need for targeted policies to combat excessive drinking and improve treatment access has been underscored by these findings. The researchers concluded that understanding the socioeconomic factors contributing to excessive alcohol consumption is vital for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies, particularly for young people and the American Indian and Alaskan Native communities.
The publication of this study in PLOS Global Health marks a critical step in addressing the rising tide of alcohol-related deaths in the United States, emphasizing the need for comprehensive public health initiatives to mitigate this growing crisis.
