A comparison of the alcohol-attributable mortality in four European countries

Background: Deaths due to alcohol consumption are an important component of all-cause mortality, particularly premature mortality. However, there are considerable regional variations, the reasons for which are unclear. Methods: Estimates were made as reliably as possibly using vital statistics and best estimates of risk of the alcohol-attributable mortality, by age, sex and cause for four European countries (England and Wales, Germany, Denmark and Italy). Twenty-seven alcohol-related conditions were considered including the possible cardio-protective effects of alcohol. Results: It was estimated that there are approximately 2% fewer deaths annually in England and Wales than would be expected in a non-drinking population and 0.3% fewer deaths among East German females. In West Germany, Denmark, Italy and among East German males there are more deaths caused by alcohol than are prevented (between 0.7 and 2.6% of all deaths). The highest age-specific proportion of alcohol-attributable deaths is found in East Germany where around 30% of deaths among males aged 25–44 years are due to drinking. Among young men in all four countries the largest contributor to alcohol-related deaths is road traffic accidents involving alcohol. Conclusions: Possible explanations for the variation in alcohol-attributable deaths between countries include different underlying heart disease rates, different patterns of alcohol consumption and beverage preferences, and different use of mortality classification. Differences in the reported alcohol consumption levels explain little of the variation in alcohol-attributable deaths. Estimating alcohol-attributable mortality by age and sex across countries may be a useful indicator for developing alcohol strategies and exploring ways of preventing premature mortality.     

Excess mortality in England and Wales, and in Greater London, during the 1995 heatwave

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact on mortality of the heatwave in England and Wales during July and August 1995 and to describe any difference in mortality impact between the Greater London urban population and the national population. DESIGN: Analysis of variation in daily mortality in England and Wales and in Greater London during a five day heatwave in July and August 1995, by age, sex, and cause. SETTING: England and Wales, and Greater London. MAIN RESULTS: An estimated 619 extra deaths (8.9% increase, approximate 95% confidence interval 6.4, 11.3%) were observed during this heatwave in England and Wales, relative to the expected number of deaths based on the 31-day moving average for that period. Excess deaths were apparent in all age groups, most noticeably in women and for deaths from respiratory and cerebrovascular disease. Using published daily mortality risk coefficients for air pollutants in London, it was estimated that up to 62% of the excess mortality in England and Wales during the heatwave may be attributable to concurrent increases in air pollution. In Greater London itself, where daytime temperatures were higher (and with lesser falls at night), mortality increased by 16.1% during the heatwave. Using the same risk coefficients to estimate the excess mortality apparently attributable to air pollution, more than 60% of the total excess in London was apparently attributable to the effects of heat. CONCLUSION: Analysis of this episode shows that exceptionally high temperatures in England and Wales, though rare, do cause increases in daily mortality.

 

     

Impact of smoking and alcohol consumption on mortality in the population of Barcelona [Spain]: 1983-1998

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the mortality attributable to smoking and alcohol consumption in the city of Barcelona from 1983 to 1998. METHODS: All deaths among residents of the city of Barcelona from 1983 to 1998 were included. Population data were obtained from the city inhabitants register. The mortality attributable to smoking and alcohol consumption was calculated by population attributable fractions using relative risks from previous studies in the US population. RESULTS: In 1998, 2,205 deaths were attributable to smoking, representing 13.8% of all deaths among the population aged 35 years or older and a decrease of 9.6% compared with deaths in 1983. From 1983 to 1998 there was an increase in smoking-attributable adjusted mortality rates for lung cancer (155.84/100,000 inhabitants in men and 9.39/100,000 in women in 1998) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (95.89/100,000 in men and 11.29/ 100,000 in women in 1998). In 1998, deaths attributed to alcohol consumption accounted for 4.3% of total mortality, representing a reduction of 26% since 1983. Among men, the primary cause of alcohol-attributable mortality was liver cirrhosis (17.1%), although its relative importance decreased (accounting for 17.1% of alcohol-attributable mortality in 1998 compared with 24.3% in 1983). CONCLUSIONS: The mortality attributable to smoking and alcohol consumption decreased in the city of Barcelona during the study period. Smoking-attributable mortality from lung cancer and COPD increased in both sexes. Alcohol consumption-attributable mortality from liver cirrhosis decreased in men.     

Trends in mortality and years of life lost related to alcohol in the Canary Islands, Spain [1980-1998]

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article was to describe death rates and years of life lost prematurely (YLLP) in relation to alcohol consumption in the Canary Islands. The study covered the period between 1980 and 1998. METHODS: Deaths from 1980 to 1998 were classified by age, sex, and cause using data obtained from the National Institute of Statistics (Natural Changes in the Population). The number of alcohol-related deaths was calculated by year, sex, and age group using the attributable population fraction as proposed by the Centers for Disease Control (USA). The YLLP attributed to alcohol consumption were calculated for each cause of death by multiplying deaths by the attributable population fraction in 5-yearly age groups for both sexes (average span of five years), up to the age of 65 years. RESULTS: Between 1980 and 1998, the number of alcohol-related deaths was 12,614, averaging 6.4% per year and with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 2:1. The main causes of death and YLLP in both men and women were malignant neoplasms, diseases of the digestive system, and alcohol-related accidents, although accidents were by far the main cause producing 50.6% of alcohol-related YLLP in men and 55.5% in women. Over the study period, the incidence of cirrhosis of the liver and that of other chronic liver diseases (CIE 571) decreased in men whilst remaining stable in women. CONCLUSIONS: The finding that the percentage of alcohol-related deaths and cirrhosis of the liver remained high in the Islas Canarias between 1980 and 1998 highlights the need for educational strategies on the effects of alcohol, together with policies designed to reduce its consumption, particularly among the young.     

A cohort analysis of lung cancer and smoking in British males

Lung cancer mortality in England and Wales among males in the age group 25 to 84 over the years 1941 to 1975 was analyzed. Using cigarette consumption information from the Tobacco Research Council and a statistical model, relative and attributable risks were estimated. The lung cancer deaths could be partitioned into deaths among smokers and deaths among nonsmokers; 88% of total male deaths during the study period could be attributed to smoking. Whereas the mortality rate among smokers increased over the entire span of the analysis, the rate among nonsmokers rose gradually until 1956-1960 and then declined until 1971-1975. The beginning of the decline was coincident with the implementation of the Clean Air Act of 1956. In order to address possible systematic biases in the smoking data, Monte Carlo simulations were performed.     

The Global Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Premature Mortality and Health in 2016

This study aimed to estimate the impact of alcohol use on mortality and health among people 69 years of age and younger in 2016. A comparative risk assessment approach was utilized, with population-attributable fractions being estimated by combining alcohol use data from the Global Information System on Alcohol and Health with corresponding relative risk estimates from meta-analyses. The mortality and health data were obtained from the Global Health Observatory. Among people 69 years of age and younger in 2016, 2.0 million deaths and 117.2 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost were attributable to alcohol consumption, representing 7.1% and 5.5% of all deaths and DALYs lost in that year, respectively. The leading causes of the burden of alcohol-attributable deaths were cirrhosis of the liver (457,000 deaths), road injuries (338,000 deaths), and tuberculosis (190,000 deaths). The numbers of premature deaths per 100,000 people were highest in Eastern Europe (155.8 deaths per 100,000), Central Europe (52.3 deaths per 100,000 people), and Western sub-Saharan Africa (48.7 deaths per 100,000). A large portion of the burden of disease caused by alcohol among people 69 years of age and younger is preventable through the implementation of cost-effective alcohol policies such as increases in taxation.     

Impacto del trastorno por consumo de alcohol en la mortalidad: ¿hay diferencias según la edad y el sexo?

Objectives

To estimate excess mortality in patients with an alcohol use disorder and to calculate the population-based impact attributable to this disorder, with emphasis on differences according to gender and age.

Methods

We carried out a longitudinal study of a dynamic retrospective cohort in which 7,109 patients (76.5% men) aged 18-64 years who started medical day treatment between 1997 and 2006 were recruited. Deaths were monitored until the end of 2006 using a national mortality register. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) by age and gender and population attributable risks (PAR) by age group were estimated.

Results

There were 557 deaths (83% were men). The total excess mortality was 8 times higher than in the general population aged 18-64 years, especially in the group aged 25-34 years old (SMR: 11.2 [95% CI: 7.8-16.0] in men and 24 [IC95%: 11.5-50.4] in women). Significant differences by gender were found in all the variables analyzed. In Barcelona, alcohol use disorder was estimated to cause 73 deaths per year, representing 3.3% of the total annual deaths in this city in persons aged 18-64 years. This percentage was substantially higher in the groups aged 25-34 years (PAR: 19.4% [95% CI: 19.2-19.6]) and 18-24 years (PAR: 11.1% [95% CI: 10.7-11.4]).

Conclusions

Women and young men with an alcohol use disorder have a higher risk of early mortality. Early detection of problematic alcohol consumption and selective and well-indicated prevention programs should be improved.     

Trends in mortality attributable to current alcohol consumption in east and west Germany

There is emerging awareness of alcohol as a cause of the persisting health divide between east and west Germany. This study quantifies the burden of alcohol attributable mortality in the two parts of Germany in the 1990s, taking account of both adverse and beneficial effects of alcohol. We used an epidemiological approach that applies cause-specific alcohol attributable fractions derived from published relative risks and data on the distribution of alcohol consumption in east and west Germany in 1990/1992 and 1998 to mortality data for the two regions in 1992 and 1997, thus producing an estimate of the number of alcohol attributable deaths 'caused' or 'prevented'.Including the cardio-protective effect of alcohol, there were about 1.4% more deaths among men aged 20+ in 1992 in Germany than would have been expected in a non-drinking population, while there were 0.1% fewer deaths among women. By 1997, this had increased to 1.8% excess male deaths and 0.1% excess female deaths. In 1997, alcohol 'caused' 9.0% of all deaths in east German men compared with 5.6% in the west (women east: 2.5%; women west: 2.2%). At the same time, alcohol 'prevented' 5.2% deaths in east German men compared with 4.3% in the west, while there were 2.9% and 2.0% fewer deaths in women. This resulted in a net excess of deaths due to alcohol, except east German women, where 0.3% deaths were estimated to have been averted by alcohol. Although by 1997 net deaths 'caused' by alcohol had increased in the west and declined in the east, the burden of mortality due to alcohol among men remained highest in the east whereas in women the order had reversed.Mortality attributable to alcohol contributes considerably to overall mortality and to the east-west gap in Germany. This study points to the need for comprehensive policies on alcohol in Germany to close the persisting east-west health gap.     

The Health and Economic Consequences of Moderate Alcohol Consumption in Germany 2002

Objective:  Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with both positive and negative health effects. This study aims to estimate the positive and negative consequences on mortality, years of potential life (YPL), quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), resource utilization, and societal costs attributable to moderate alcohol consumption in Germany in 2002.
Methods:  The concept of attributable risks and a prevalence-based approach was used to calculate age- and sex-specific alcohol attributable mortality and resource utilization for a wide range of disorders, and avoided mortality and resource utilization for diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cholelithiasis. The literature provided prevalence of moderate alcohol consumption in Germany by age and sex and relative risks. Direct costs were calculated using routine utilization and expenditure statistics. Indirect costs were calculated using the human capital approach.
Results:  Due to moderate alcohol consumption, 14,457 lives, 205,691 YPL, and 179,964 QALYs were lost, whereas 29,918 lives, 300,382 YPL, and 258,284 QALYs were gained. Up to an age of 55 to 60 (62.5–67.5) years, more lives were lost than gained among men (women), whereas in older age groups more lives were gained than lost. Moderate alcohol consumption caused €3049 million of direct and €2630 million of indirect costs, whereas €2094 million of direct and €2604 million of indirect costs were avoided.
Conclusion:  Despite considerable uncertainty, moderate alcohol consumption seems to result in an overall net effect of gained lives, YPL, and QALYs, realized among the elderly, but overall increased societal costs. Thus, moderate alcohol consumption should still be seen critical, especially among youths.     

Why is mortality higher in poorer areas and in more northern areas of England and Wales?

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To identify and quantify the factors responsible for the differences in mortality between affluent and deprived areas, the north and the south, and urban and rural areas in England and Wales. DESIGN: A multiple Poisson regression analysis of cause specific mortality in the 403 local authority districts, each classified by deprivation (using the Jarman Index), latitude (from 50 degrees to 55 degrees north) and urbanisation, adjusting for age, sex, and proportion of ethnic minorities. SETTING: England and Wales 1992. MAIN RESULTS: All cause mortality was 15% higher in the districts comprising the most compared with the least deprived tenth of the population, 23% higher in the most northern (55 degrees) than in the most southern (50 degrees) districts, and 4% higher in metropolitan (within large cities) than rural districts. Nationally these differences were associated with 40,000, 65,000, and 15,000 excess deaths respectively. More than two thirds of the overall excess mortality with deprivation, latitude, and urbanisation was from three diseases--ischaemic heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The excess mortality from these and other diseases closely matched that predicted from differences according to deprivation and latitude in smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, Helicobacter pylori infection, and temperature, and thus could be attributed to these causes. About 85% of the overall excess mortality with deprivation was attributable to heavier smoking and 6% to heavier alcohol consumption, but diet varied little. Deaths more directly related to deprivation (such as those caused by H pylori infection, drug misuse, psychoses) accounted for an estimated 12% of the excess deaths, but variation in provision and uptake of healthcare services only 1%. The direct effects of deprivation are more strongly related to morbidity than mortality. Of the difference in mortality with latitude, about 45% was attributable to differences in smoking, and 25% to climate (mainly the association of cardiovascular and respiratory disease with cold). The differences with urbanisation were mainly because of smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in the prevalence of smoking account for much of the variation in mortality between areas. Alcohol accounts for some, diet little. The more direct material effect of deprivation contributes to the variation in mortality but is particularly important with respect to differences in morbidity.       

Ethnic differences in mortality from cardiovascular disease in the UK: do they persist in people with diabetes?

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether ethnic differences in cardiovascular disease mortality persist in people with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. DESIGN: This was an ecological study in which routine mortality data from 1985-86, which coded all mentioned causes of death, provided the numerator. The UK population derived from 1981 census formed the denominator. SETTING: United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS: Records of all deaths in people aged 45 years and above were extracted if diabetes was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate. The denominator was aged five years to approximate to the 1986 population. Mortality rates where a cardiovascular underlying cause was given were compared between South Asians, African-Caribbeans, and those born in England and Wales. The latter group formed the standard for directly standardised rate ratios. MAIN RESULTS: Mortality from heart disease was approximately three times higher in diabetic South Asian born men and women than in those with diabetes born in England and Wales. This ethnic difference was greatest in the younger age group. Conversely, stroke mortality rates in African-Caribbeans were 3.5-4 times higher than those in the England and Wales population. Despite this high mortality from stroke, ischaemic heart disease death rates were not high in African-Caribbean men. CONCLUSIONS: Ethnic differences in cardiovascular mortality persisted and were greater in those with diabetes. Thus the high risk of heart disease should be targeted for intervention in South Asians, and the high rates of stroke targeted in African-Caribbeans.     

Geographical variation in life expectancy at birth in England and Wales is largely explained by deprivation

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To describe the population mortality profile of England and Wales by deprivation and in each government office region (GOR) during 1998, and to quantify the influence of geography and deprivation in determining life expectancy. DESIGN: Construction of life tables describing age specific mortality rates and life expectancy at birth from death registrations and estimated population counts. Life tables were created for (a) quintiles of income deprivation based on the income domain score of the index of multiple deprivation 2000, (b) each GOR and Wales, and (c) every combination of deprivation and geography. SETTING: England and Wales.PATIENTS/ PARTICIPANTS: Residents of England and Wales, 1998. MAIN RESULTS: Life expectancy at birth varies with deprivation quintile and is highest in the most affluent groups. The differences are mainly attributable to differences in mortality rates under 75 years of age. Regional life expectancies display a clear north-south gradient. Linear regression analysis shows that deprivation explains most of the geographical variation in life expectancy. CONCLUSIONS: Geographical patterns of life expectancy identified within these data for England and Wales in 1998 are mainly attributable to variations in deprivation status as defined by the IMD 2000 income domain score.     

Mortality attributable to tobacco consumption in the years 1987 and 1997 in Castilla la Mancha, Spain

BACKGROUND: Smoking is an important public health problem and is one of the main avoidable causes of morbidity and early mortality. The aim of this work was to describe the mortality attributable to tobacco consumption in Castilla la Mancha between 1987 and 1997. METHOD: Deaths in relation to age, sex and cause of death were obtained from the Death's Register of Castilla la Mancha. From the National Health Surveys of 1987 and 1997, the percentages of non-smokers, smokers and ex-smokers in the population in relation to age and sex were recorded. The relative risks of death were obtained from the Cancer Prevention Study II, carried out in the United States. The proportion of deaths attributable to smoking was calculated for each year, and according to sex and age group, from the etiological fraction of the population. Likewise, loss of potential life in years and the mean number of years of potential life lost were also calculated. RESULTS: During the study period, 18% of all the deaths in Castilla la Mancha can be attributed to tobacco consumption. Mortality is higher in males than in females, and the most important diagnostic categories were tracheobronchopulmonary cancer (24.3%) in males and diseases of the cardiovascular system (24.28%) in females. These were also the conditions most responsible for years of potential life lost. CONCLUSIONS: Every day, in Castilla la Mancha, 8 people die from smoking-related conditions. The measures currently in practise to control tobacco consumption are insufficient.     

Increasing inequalities in premature mortality in Great Britain

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To describe inequalities in all cause premature mortality between and within regions of Great Britain and how these inequalities have changed between 1979 and 1998. DESIGN: Retrospective study using routine population and death data aggregated into five year age and sex groups for each of 20 years. SETTING: All 459 local authority districts (England and Wales) and local government districts (Scotland). PARTICIPANTS: Estimated population and registered deaths aged 0-64. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Indirectly standardised mortality ratios for all cause mortality; percentages of deaths that would be avoided if there were no inequalities between and within regions. RESULTS: The decrease in premature mortality of 36% seen in Great Britain ranged from 42% in Wales to 33% in Scotland and 31% in London. Differences between regions led to excess mortality of about 25% in Scotland, the North East, and the North West. In London excess mortality increased from 14% to 19%. Inequalities within regions increased in most parts of Great Britain, the exceptions being Wales, London, and the South West. The largest increase was seen in Scotland where the percentage of excess deaths increased from 23% to 33%. CONCLUSIONS: A decrease in premature mortality in Great Britain was seen in all regions, although less pronounced in London, but the gap between regions remained. Inequalities between districts within regions vary from one region to another and have increased in nearly every part of Great Britain.     

Occupational accidents and alcohol consumption in Spain.

The real impact that alcohol consumption has on occupational accidents is unknown. We estimate the percentage of occupational accidents related to the regular consumption of alcohol in the population through the population attributable proportion (PAP). Spanish National Health Survey data were used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and prevalence of alcohol consumption. The study restricted the selection of individuals by age and sex, using only interviews of men aged between 16 and 64 years. The results obtained show that approximately 17% of all occupational accidents can be attributable to alcohol consumption; 19% aged 16-24 years, 21% in those aged 25-44, and 9% in those aged 45-64. Although this methodology has some limitations, the advantages of this kind of study are important in public health because the magnitude of the problem, the potential impact of different strategies and the population groups most susceptible to intervention are addressed.     

Alcohol-attributable and alcohol-preventable mortality in Italy. A balance in 1983 and 1996

BACKGROUND: Since the mid-1970s, a striking reduction in alcohol consumption has been observed in Italy and other developed countries. Alcohol-related mortality in Italy has been estimated for 1983 and 1996. METHODS: Alcohol-attributable and alcohol-preventable deaths were estimated by: i) data on prevalence of drinkers from two Italian surveys; ii) the parameters of meta-regression models investigating the relationship between alcohol intake and the risk of several conditions positively and negatively related to alcohol; and iii) the number of deaths from 21 alcohol-related conditions. RESULTS: About 68,000 and 42,000 deaths were attributed to alcohol consumption in 1983 and in 1996 respectively, mostly from hemorrhagic stroke, liver cirrhosis, cancer, and injuries. About 6,600 deaths from coronary heart disease were prevented by alcohol. Light intake (25 g/day or less) caused about 30% of deaths attributable to any consumption in women. In men, about one-half of the deaths were attributable to the highest category of intake (100 g/day or more), while a lower proportion of deaths was attributed to light intake (almost 7%). In 1996 the number of the deaths caused and those prevented by light intake was approximately the same (5,400 and 5,200 respectively) and did not significantly differ. CONCLUSION: The estimated number of deaths attributable to alcohol consumption in Italy still far exceeds the number prevented for both women and men. Despite the cardiac protective effect, alcohol consumption remains a major public health problem in Italy. Both population and high risk strategies in preventing alcohol-related problems should be implemented.     

Morbidity and mortality attributable to alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use in Canada

OBJECTIVES: This study estimated morbidity and mortality attributable to substance abuse in Canada. METHODS: Pooled estimates of relative risk were used to calculate etiologic fractions by age, gender, and province for 91 causes of disease or death attributable to alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs. RESULTS: There were 33,498 deaths and 208,095 hospitalizations attributed to tobacco, 6701 deaths and 86,076 hospitalizations due to alcohol, and 732 deaths and 7095 hospitalizations due to illicit drugs in 1992. CONCLUSIONS: Substance abuse exacts a considerable toll on Canadian society in terms of morbidity and mortality, accounting for 21% of deaths, 23% of years of potential life lost, and 8% of hospitalizations.     

Contribution of deaths related to alcohol or smoking to the gender difference in life expectancy: Finland in the early 1990s

BACKGROUND: In comparison to most other countries in Western Europe, Finland ranks high with regard to male excess mortality. This study examined the contribution of smoking and alcohol to the gender difference in mortality in Finland during 1991-93 among the population aged 15 or over. METHODS: The study is based on data from linked registers. The number of alcohol-related deaths was assessed on the basis of information included in the death certificate, while the conventional method of population attributable fraction was applied to estimate the aggregated contribution of smoking. In combining the effects of alcohol and smoking, three alternative assumptions of their overlap were used. RESULTS: Approximately 51-56% of the gender difference of 7.6 years in the life expectancy at age 15 was estimated to be attributable to alcohol or smoking, depending on the assumption about the overlap of the contribution of alcohol and smoking. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms the important role of alcohol and smoking as a mechanism contributing to the difference in mortality between men and women in Finland.     

Alcohol consumption and burden of disease in the Americas: implications for alcohol policy.

OBJECTIVES: To describe patterns of alcohol consumption in the Americas, to estimate the burden of disease attributable to alcohol in the year 2000, and to suggest implications for policies to reduce alcohol-related disease burden. METHODS: Two dimensions of alcohol exposure were included in this secondary data analysis: average volume of alcohol consumption and patterns of drinking. There were two main outcome measures: mortality (number of deaths) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost (number of years of life lost due to premature mortality and disability). Separate estimates were obtained for different sexes, age groups and WHO regions. RESULTS: Despite regional variations, alcohol consumption in the Americas averaged more than 50% higher than worldwide consumption. Patterns of irregular heavy drinking prevailed. Alcohol consumption caused a considerable disease burden: 4.8% of all the deaths and 9.7% of all DALYs lost in the year 2000 were attributable to drinking, with most of the burden occurring outside North America. Intentional and unintentional injuries accounted for 59.8% of all alcohol-related deaths and 38.4% of the alcohol-related disease burden. Of all risk factors compared here, alcohol accounted for the greatest proportion of risk, followed by smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions should be implemented to reduce the high burden of alcohol-related disease in the Americas. Given the epidemiological structure of this burden, injury prevention including, but not restricted to, prevention of traffic injuries, as well as appropriate treatment options, should play an important role in comprehensive plans to reduce the alcohol-related public health burden.     

Alcohol as a certified cause of death in a 'middle England' population 1979-1999: database study

The Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England, recently published, highlights current concerns about alcohol consumption in this country. We used a database to examine trends in mortality for all deaths certified as effects of alcohol from 1979-1999, including mentions as well as underlying cause, in a relatively prosperous population in southern England. Mortality, certified as direct effects of alcohol, tripled during the 21 years of study; and mortality rates based on mentions were about double those based on underlying cause. The increase in recent years in mortality based on mentions was considerably greater than that based on underlying cause. Data on age, sex and occupational social class show that people whose alcohol intake kills them are from a broad cross-section of society.