Sharp Increase in Alcohol-Related Deaths, Accelerated by the Pandemic
New research confirms a troubling trend: alcohol-related deaths in the United States have doubled over the past two decades, with a pronounced spike during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a study published in JAMA Network Open and reported by The Independent, deaths caused by alcohol-associated liver disease rose from 6.7 to 12.5 per 100,000 people between 1999 and 2022. The research analyzed 436,814 recorded deaths over this period.
The increase was particularly steep during the pandemic years. Between 2018 and 2022, mortality rates surged by an annual average of 9%.
Researchers attributed this to factors such as social isolation, financial hardship, and weakened mental health, all of which led to increased alcohol use.
This rise occurred while other causes of liver disease, such as hepatitis C, were declining, underscoring alcohol’s singular role in the growing health crisis.
Demographic Patterns Show Alarming Trends Among Women, Youth, and Minoritised Populations
The study also revealed widening disparities across demographic groups.
- Women faced a higher annual increase in mortality compared to men.
- Young people showed particularly concerning patterns of rising deaths.
- Among American Indian or Alaska Native populations, the highest death rates were observed, climbing from about 25 to nearly 47 per 100,000 between 1999 and 2022.
- White U.S. Americans also experienced rising mortality, while Black U.S. Americans saw an initial decline followed by a sharp increase beginning in 2019. By 2022, deaths in this group were increasing by 21% annually.
These trends reflect widespread alcohol harm and a worsening alcohol burden across U.S. communities.
Alcohol-Linked Cancer Deaths Are Increasing
In a separate study, cited by The Independent, annual alcohol-related cancer deaths in the U.S. doubled from 11,896 in 1990 to 23,207 by 2021.
As with liver disease, the pandemic contributed to this surge. These findings further confirm that alcohol use plays a growing role in preventable deaths nationwide.
Further Research Confirms Worsening Trend
Supporting the national data, another compelling study also reported that alcohol deaths in the U.S. rose dramatically in the pandemic era. In 2021 alone, 108,791 people died due to alcohol-related causes, up from 78,927 in 2019. This reflects a 38% increase in just two years. It noted that the spike coincided with the largest rise in per capita alcohol use in 50 years.
Another review found a 25.5% rise in alcohol-related deaths from 2019 to 2020, with chronic liver disease hospitalisations increasing by up to 50%. It points to increased availability of alcoholic products, deregulation during the pandemic, and intensified psychological distress as key contributors.
Call for Urgent Alcohol Policy Action
Health experts stress that these findings highlight the urgent need for better and more comprehensive alcohol policy actions. The authors of the JAMA study emphasised a comprehensive response: expanded screening, improved treatment access, and targeted prevention for high-risk populations.
Further research reinforces this approach by calling for evidence-based alcohol policy solutions, such as health promotion taxation, alcohol advertising bans, and limits on alcohol availability. These proven measures are essential to protect people’s health and reduce the growing harms caused by the alcohol industry.
The data makes one thing clear. The rising alcohol harm in the United States demands decisive, preventive action, now more than ever.