Statistical Bulletin

Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom, 20002009

Date: 27 January 2011 Coverage: United Kingdom Theme: Health
This bulletin presents the latest alcohol-related death figures for the UK, England, Wales, and Government Office Regions in England for the years 2000 to 2009. Rates previously published for 2002 to 2008 have been revised due to revisions in the mid-year population estimates.

In 2009 there were 8,664 alcohol-related deaths in the UK, 367 fewer than the number recorded in 2008 (9,031)
Figure 1. Alcohol-related death rates, United Kingdom, 20002009

Males accounted for approximately two-thirds of the total number of alcohol-related deaths in 2009. There were 5,690 deaths (17.4 per 100,000 population) in males and 2,974 (8.4 per 100,000) in females Across the 200009 period, rates were highest among men and women aged 5574. In 2009 the rates for these groups were 41.8 and 20.1 per 100,000 population respectively

Age-standardised rates per 100,000 population

22 20
Males

18 16 14 12 10 8
Females

6 4 2 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Source: Office for National Statistics, General Register Office for Scotland, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency

There were fewest alcohol-related deaths among people aged under 35. Rates in 2009 for those aged 1534 were 2.6 per 100,000 for males and 1.5 per 100,000 for females 1 Alcohol-related death figures for the UK, England, Wales and Government Office Regions in England for 2000 to 2009 are presented below in Tables 1 and 2 for males and Tables 3 and 4 for females.

Rates are not calculated for people aged under 15 due to small numbers of deaths.

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Statistical Bulletin

Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom, 20002009

United Kingdom
The number of alcohol-related deaths in the UK increased over the last 10 years, rising from 6,884 (11.2 per 100,000 population) in 2000 to a point of 9,031 (13.6 per 100,000) in 2008. Figures for 2009 were lower than the previous year at 8,664 (12.8 per 100,000). There are more alcohol-related deaths in males than in females. Across the 20002009 period, the male rate was lowest in 2000 at 15.2 per 100,000. The rate steadily increased and was highest in 2008 at 18.7 per 100,000, before falling to 17.4 per 100,000 in 2009. There was smaller variation in female rates over the period, increasing from 7.4 per 100,000 in 2000 to 8.7 per 100,000 in 2007 and 2008. The female rate in 2009 fell slightly to 8.4 per 100,000. Trends differ according to age. The highest alcohol-related death rate across the period was in men aged 5574. In 2009 the rate for this group was 41.8 per 100,000. The lowest male rate was in those aged 1534; the rate for this group in 2009 was 2.6 per 100,000. The only rate to increase among men from 2008 to 2009 was in those aged 75 years and over, rising from 23.4 to 25.6 per 100,000. The rate for men aged 3554 in 2009 was 29.1 per 100,000. Female rates have been consistently lower than male rates, but the figures demonstrate a largely similar pattern between age groups. Like men, women aged 5574 had the highest alcohol-related death rates over the 20002009 period. In 2009 the rate for this group was 20.1 per 100,000. Rates were lowest in women aged 1534. The rate for this age group in 2009 was 1.5 per 100,000. In 2009 the rates for women aged 3554 and 75 and over were 13.8 and 13.3 per 100,000 respectively.

England
Figures for alcohol-related deaths in England show a similar pattern to figures for the UK. Since 2000 the number of deaths has gradually increased. Alcohol-related deaths peaked in 2008 at 4,476 (16.7 per 100,000) for males and in 2007 at 2,310 (8.0 per 100,000) for females. In 2009 the numbers decreased to 4,315 (15.8 per 100,000) and 2,267 (7.7 per 100,000) for males and females respectively. Men and women aged 5574 had the highest alcohol-related death rates over the 200009 period. Rates in 2009 were 37.6 per 100,000 for men and 18.3 per 100,000 for women. The lowest rates across the period were in those aged 1534. In 2009 the rates for this age group were 2.5 per 100,000 for men and 1.4 per 100,000 for women.

Government Office Regions in England

There is variation in alcohol-related death rates between Government Office Regions in England. Over the 200009 period rates for both males and females tended to be highest in the North West and lowest in the East of England. This was the case in 2009. Rates in the North West were 22.5 per 100,000 for men and 11.7 per 100,000 for women. In the East of England, the male rate was 11.4 per 100,000 and the female rate was 5.2 per 100,000. Alcohol-related death rates have steadily increased in all regions over the period, with the exception of London (for males and females) and the East of England (for females). In London,

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Statistical Bulletin

Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom, 20002009

rates were lower at the end of the period than at the beginning. In the East of England, there was little variation in female rates between 2000 and 2009. In 2009 the rates for males in all regions were lower than in 2008 (apart from in the South East), although the decreases were not significant. For women, the changes were more variable.

Wales
Alcohol-related deaths in Wales increased over the 200009 period. For males, the lowest number of deaths was 209 (14.0 per 100,000) in 2000 and the highest number was 344 in 2008 (21.4 per 100,000). In 2009 the number fell slightly to 334 (20.3 per 100,000). For females, there were fewest deaths in 2002 at 127 (7.3 per 100,000) and most in 2008 at 197 (11.0 per 100,000). The number decreased to 159 (8.8 per 100,000) in 2009. During the period, there were more alcohol-related deaths in people aged 3554 and 5574 than those in younger and older age groups. Among men, rates increased sharply in these age groups and for those aged 75 years and over the rate doubled. The highest rates in 2009 were for males and females aged 5574 at 45.9 and 18.3 per 100,000 respectively, although these rates were not significantly different to the rates for those aged 3554 or 75 and over (37.0 and 30.7 per 100,000 respectively for men and 16.9 and 16.4 per 100,000 respectively for women). In 2009, there were eight alcohol-related deaths among people aged under 35.

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Statistical Bulletin

Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom, 20002009

Table 1. Male alcohol-related death rates: by country and Government Office Region, 200020091,2,3,4
Rate per 100,000 population
Country/Government Office Region United Kingdom 2000 15.2 2001 16.5 2002 16.8 2003 17.8 2004 17.6 2005 17.9 2006 18.4 2007 18.1 2008 18.7 2009 17.4

England

13.0

14.2

14.3

15.5

15.2

15.7

16.2

15.9

16.7

15.8

North East North West Yorkshire and The Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England London South East South West

15.2 17.4 10.5 12.2 14.9 8.9 17.6 10.6 10.1

15.6 19.3 12.7 12.1 16.0 9.8 17.4 13.3 11.6

17.6 19.4 12.2 11.8 16.7 10.0 18.1 12.4 11.7

17.5 20.8 14.9 13.7 19.0 10.7 18.2 13.6 12.5

20.9 21.1 15.9 12.3 17.6 9.9 17.0 12.3 12.7

20.1 21.3 16.9 13.9 18.7 10.0 16.3 13.0 14.4

21.7 21.4 17.0 14.2 19.0 11.2 18.3 13.3 12.9

21.4 23.7 16.4 13.3 18.7 11.7 14.4 13.1 14.1

22.6 23.0 16.7 16.2 21.4 12.5 15.5 12.6 14.6

20.6 22.5 16.1 14.8 18.6 11.4 14.8 12.9 14.0

Wales

14.0

16.0

15.4

17.2

17.0

15.9

17.2

20.4

21.4

20.3

1 The causes of death included in the National Statistics definition of alcohol-related deaths are given below in Box 1. 2 Rates per 100,000 population standardised to the European Standard Population. 3 Deaths of non-residents are included in figures for the UK, but excluded in figures for England, Wales and Government
Office Regions. 4 Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. Source: Office for National Statistics, General Register Office for Scotland, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency

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Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom, 20002009

Table 2. Number of male alcohol-related deaths: by country and Government Office Region, 200020091,2,3
Country/Government Office Region United Kingdom

2000 4,483

2001 4,938

2002 5,069

2003 5,443

2004 5,431

2005 5,566

2006 5,768

2007 5,732

2008 5,999

2009 5,690

England

3,222

3,578

3,635

3,968

3,922

4,103

4,271

4,234

4,476

4,315

North East North West Yorkshire and The Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England London South East South West

198 589 264 267 399 253 546 437 269

209 665 321 268 424 283 544 553 311

233 676 308 266 455 286 572 525 314

236 719 381 311 522 314 564 574 347

278 742 414 280 484 297 541 534 352

269 750 446 327 518 299 517 570 407

294 761 447 334 533 343 601 584 374

291 845 439 318 521 360 477 583 400

310 826 447 388 601 389 524 569 422

287 811 437 362 529 360 510 597 422

Wales

209

239

236

269

266

254

271

326

344

334

1 The causes of death included in the National Statistics definition of alcohol-related deaths are given below in Box 1. 2 Deaths of non-residents are included in figures for the UK, but excluded in figures for England, Wales and Government
Office Regions. 3 Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. Source: Office for National Statistics, General Register Office for Scotland, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency

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Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom, 20002009

Table 3. Female alcohol-related death rates: by country and Government Office Region, 200020091,2,3,4
Rate per 100,000 population
Country/Government Office Region United Kingdom 2000 7.4 2001 7.8 2002 7.9 2003 8.1 2004 8.3 2005 8.3 2006 8.8 2007 8.7 2008 8.7 2009 8.4

England

6.6

6.9

7.0

7.2

7.5

7.3

7.8

8.0

7.9

7.7

North East North West Yorkshire and The Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England London South East South West

8.9 9.3 5.7 6.1 6.3 5.6 6.9 5.8 6.0

9.1 10.2 6.1 5.9 7.8 5.0 7.0 5.8 6.0

7.4 10.4 5.8 6.9 8.2 5.3 7.2 6.0 5.8

10.8 10.4 6.8 6.9 7.4 5.1 7.5 6.1 5.5

10.5 11.3 7.2 8.2 8.7 5.5 6.1 6.2 5.4

9.3 11.1 6.8 7.2 9.0 5.9 6.3 6.1 5.5

9.7 12.0 8.4 6.8 9.0 6.3 6.1 6.7 6.4

11.4 12.3 8.2 7.8 9.4 6.2 6.3 6.2 6.5

11.7 12.6 7.1 7.7 10.2 5.3 5.8 6.2 6.8

10.6 11.7 7.8 7.9 9.1 5.2 5.9 6.5 6.7

Wales

8.0

8.6

7.3

8.1

8.8

8.9

9.2

8.6

11.0

8.8

1 The causes of death included in the National Statistics definition of alcohol-related deaths are given below in Box 1. 2 Rates per 100,000 population standardised to the European Standard Population. 3 Deaths of non-residents are included in figures for the UK, but excluded in figures for England, Wales and Government
Office Regions. 4 Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. Source: Office for National Statistics, General Register Office for Scotland, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency

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Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom, 20002009

Table 4. Number of female alcohol-related deaths: by country and Government Office Region, 200020091,2,3
Country/Government Office Region United Kingdom

2000 2,401

2001 2,561

2002 2,632

2003 2,721

2004 2,790

2005 2,820

2006 2,990

2007 2,992

2008 3,032

2009 2,974

England

1,817

1,901

1,957

2,016

2,114

2,094

2,246

2,310

2,295

2,267

North East North West Yorkshire and The Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England London South East South West

125 340 155 142 186 171 248 268 182

125 378 169 140 231 161 244 270 183

106 381 165 169 242 171 262 284 177

151 389 190 171 216 170 263 297 169

148 425 204 202 258 186 217 297 177

133 423 203 178 259 193 227 304 174

141 448 235 170 268 214 222 337 211

164 465 239 194 288 214 227 310 209

175 486 208 194 307 180 215 308 222

163 438 229 205 280 180 226 327 219

Wales

131

146

127

143

150

152

159

151

197

159

1 The causes of death included in the National Statistics definition of alcohol-related deaths are given below in Box 1. 2 Deaths of non-residents are included in figures for the UK, but excluded in figures for England, Wales and Government
Office Regions. 3 Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. Source: Office for National Statistics, General Register Office for Scotland, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency

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Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom, 20002009

Results on the Office for National Statistics website

Alcohol-related death figures for the UK, England and Wales, England, Wales and Government Office Regions in England can be found in Microsoft Excel workbooks on the Office for National Statistics website at: www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=14496 The two workbooks contain: results for the UK age-standardised rates per 100,000 (with 95 per cent confidence limits) and numbers of alcohol-related deaths for 1991 to 2009. Data are available split by sex and broad age groups (All ages, 114, 1534, 3554, 5574 and 75 and over) results for England and Wales age-standardised rates per 100,000 (with 95 per cent confidence limits) and numbers of alcohol-related deaths for England and Wales, England, Wales and Government Office Regions in England for 1991 to 2009. Data are available split by sex and broad age groups (All ages, 114, 1534, 3554, 5574 and 75 and over) (sex only for Government Office Regions) Alcohol-related death figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are available at the following links: General Register Office for Scotland www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/theme/vital-events/deaths/alcohol-related/index.html Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency www.nisra.gov.uk/demography/default.asp30.htm

Background Notes
1. The National Statistics definition of alcohol-related deaths only includes those causes regarded as being most directly due to alcohol consumption, as shown in Box 1 below. It does not include other diseases where alcohol has been shown to have some causal relationship, such as cancers of the mouth, oesophagus and liver. The definition includes all deaths from chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (excluding biliary cirrhosis), even when alcohol is not specifically mentioned on the death certificate. Apart from deaths due to poisoning with alcohol (accidental, intentional or undetermined), this definition excludes any other external causes of death, such as road traffic and other accidents. The definition allows for consistent comparisons over time for those deaths most clearly associated with alcohol consumption.

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Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom, 20002009

Box 1

National Statistics definition of alcohol-related deaths

International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) 291 303 Alcoholic psychoses Alcohol dependence syndrome

305.0 Non-dependent abuse of alcohol 425.5 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy 571 Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (Excluding 571.6 Biliary cirrhosis) E860 Accidental poisoning by alcohol

International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) F10 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol

G31.2 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol G62.1 Alcoholic polyneuropathy I42.6 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy

K29.2 Alcoholic gastritis K70 K73 K74 Alcoholic liver disease Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (Excluding K74.3K74.5 Biliary cirrhosis) K86.0 Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis X45 X65 Y15 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent

2. ONS holds mortality data for England and Wales. Figures for the UK include data kindly provided by the General Register Office for Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 3. ICD-10 was introduced in Scotland in 2000 and in England and Wales and Northern Ireland in 2001. 4. The introduction of ICD-10 in England and Wales in 2001 had a significant effect on mortality rates for some diseases, causing a discontinuity in mortality trends for these causes of death.

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Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom, 20002009

However, the change resulted in a difference of less than 1 per cent in the number of deaths from alcohol-related causes. 5. Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 6. An article titled 'Social inequalities in alcohol related adult mortality by National Statistics SocioEconomic Classification, England and Wales, 200103' will be published in Health Statistics Quarterly No 50 (Summer 2011) on 24 May 2011. 7. On 13 May 2010, ONS published revised mid-year population estimates for 2002 to 2008 due to methodology improvements. Therefore, alcohol-related death rates for all areas have been revised for these years. The latest population estimates for the UK can be found at www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=15106 8. Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available from the Media Relations Office. 9. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference. Crown copyright 2011. Next publication: January 2012 Issued by: Office for National Statistics, Government Buildings, Cardiff Road, Newport NP10 8XG Media contact: Tel: Email: Media Relations Office 0845 6041858 Emergency on-call 07867 906553 media.relations@ons.gsi.gov.uk

Statistical contact: Tel: Email: Website: Lynsey Kyte 01633 456736 mortality@ons.gsi.gov.uk www.ons.gov.uk

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