Trends in alcohol-related deaths in the United States over 55 years: 1968-2023

Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research 

This study of alcohol-related mortality trends since 1968 used primarily death certificate data from the CDC WONDER database. Between 1998 and 2023 there were 1.3 million alcohol-related deaths. Overall age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) per 100,000 increased from 13 to 19. Rates increased from 1968 to 1980, declined from 1980 to 2000, and began an accelerating increase from 2000 to 2023, with a peak during COVID.  AAMRs were higher for males (increasing from 20 to 28) than for females (increasing from 7 to 11). AAMR declined by 50% for Black individuals (from 28 to 14) and nearly doubled for Whites (increasing from 11 to 21) resulting in a dramatic racial inversion. Among age groups, the highest mortality was for 65+, attributed to baby boomer heavy drinking plus frailty of age. The largest increases were seen in the Midwest with the Northeast remaining stable. 

 

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