Alcohol Related Deaths Doubled
Recently released figures show that the number of deaths caused by alcohol has risen dramatically in the past ten years. In fact it has almost doubled - from 4144 in ’91 to 8380 in ’04 (The UK Office for National Statistics Online).
The difference is even more profound among men than women. Oddly, the age range with the highest level of deaths caused by alcohol was men between the ages of 35 and 54, not the younger groups, as you might imagine.
But again, the rate of death for this age group in women too, has nearly doubled in the same time period from 9.3 to 17.9 per 100 000 of the population.
Alarming figures, as I’m sure you’ll agree. But a serious question which arises from this is, why? Are we really drinking that much more than we were ten years ago? Are our health services failing us?
Of course it is important to remember also that these figures are only for deaths directly attributable to alcohol. There will have been many more where alcohol was only an indirect cause (for instance someone killed in a car accident in which the other driver had been drinking).
You’re absolutely right Simon, of course the biggest responsibility lies with the individual themselves. The UK has always been a country of heavy drinkers, but why is it getting worse?
Has it evolved from the hedonistic excesses of early 90′s dance culture? Or is it a reflection of society in general?
Its a question that I doubt can be answered easily. And neither is the question - “what can we do about it?”
Are our health services failing us?
Depends whether the responsibility is the NHS or the drinkers’.
Better (more) mental health services might help.
A more fundamental question might be, why do more people choose to drink excessively?