Area of residence and alcohol‐related mortality risk: a five‐year follow‐up study

Aims To examine differences in alcohol‐related mortality risk between areas, while adjusting for the characteristics of the individuals living within these areas. Design A 5‐year longitudinal study of individual and area characteristics of those dying and not dying from alcohol‐related deaths. Setting The Northern Ireland Mortality study. Participants A total of 720 627 people aged 25–74, enumerated in the Northern Ireland 2001 Census, not living in communal establishments. Measurements Five hundred and seventy‐eight alcohol‐related deaths. Findings There was an increased risk of alcohol‐related mortality among disadvantaged individuals, and divorced, widowed and separated males. The risk of an alcohol‐related death was significantly higher in deprived areas for both males hazard ratio (HR) 3.70; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.65, 5.18] and females (HR 2.67 (95% CI 1.72, 4.15); however, once adjustment was made for the characteristics of the individuals living within areas, the excess risk for more deprived areas disappeared. Both males and females in rural areas had a reduced risk of an alcohol‐related death compared to their counterparts in urban areas; these differences remained after adjustment for the composition of the people within these areas. Conclusions Alcohol‐related mortality is higher in more deprived, compared to more affluent areas; however, this appears to be due to characteristics of individuals within deprived areas, rather than to some independent effect of area deprivation per se. Risk of alcohol‐related mortality is lower in rural than urban areas, but the cause is unknown.