England faces ongoing alcohol deaths

England faces ongoing alcohol deaths

Persistent higher alcohol-related deaths in England since the pandemic hit in 2020 is an “acute crisis,” according to a new study led by researchers at UCL and the University of Sheffield.

For the study, published inLancet Public HealthResearchers analyzed Office for National Statistics (ONS) death figures solely from alcohol in England. They found that death rates were stable between 2009 and 2019, but increased by a fifth in 2020, which increased by another 13.5% between 2020 and 2022.

The team estimated that 3,911 more people had died just because of alcohol in England between 2020 and 2022 than if pre-pandemic trends had continued.

The biggest increases were among the groups most likely to be affected before the pandemic - men, people from deprived areas and those aged 50 to 69. The main cause, the researchers found, was a sharp increase in liver damage caused by alcohol. Deaths from acute causes such as alcohol poisoning also increased.

The latest ONS figures from 2023, although not analyzed in the new study, show alcohol deaths in England continue to rise to 8,274.

Leading author Dr. Melissa Oldham, from the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, said: "The sharp increase in alcohol-related deaths during the pandemic was not a flash in the pan. The higher rate has persisted and is getting worse every year.

"This is an acute crisis and urgent action is needed to prevent further avoidable deaths. This includes significant investment in health services to better detect and treat liver disease, as well as policies to reduce alcohol consumption across the population, such as minimum pricing and advertising restrictions."

Senior author Professor Colin Angus, from the University of Sheffield's School of Medicine and Population Health, said: "The rise in alcohol-related deaths is entrenching existing health inequalities, with large absolute increases in men and in people from deprived areas. Men, just as before the pandemic, are twice as likely to die from alcohol-related deaths in alcohol-related areas.

In the paper, researchers said the increase in liver disease deaths could be partly explained by an increase in drinking among heavier drinkers and more frequent binge drinking, as well as reduced access to health services during the pandemic and reduced treatment-seeking. During the pandemic and lockdowns, increased drinking does not appear to have returned to pre-pandemic levels, which may partially explain the continued increase in alcohol-specific deaths each year.

They said obesity could be a factor, as increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic lockdowns may have been accompanied by weight gain and a more sedentary lifestyle, and obesity increases the risk of alcohol-related death for liver disease. Covid-19 may also have an influence, as the detection of cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) has been associated with a two to three-fold risk of death from Covid-19 infection, the researchers said.

The co-author Dr. Gautam Mehta, from the UCL Department of Medicine, said: "Significant inequalities in the provision of liver care in England. The average age of death from liver disease is nine years lower in the most deprived parts of the country. are urgently needed."

Sustained higher alcohol consumption rates since the pandemic have been reported in Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Bulgaria, Australia and the United States.

The researchers added that it was unclear why changes in alcohol consumption persisted early in the pandemic, when daily life had returned to pre-pandemic routines for most people.

This could be that the habits formed during the lockdown were difficult to break. They suggested it could be linked to the cost of living crisis in England as well as poorer mental health, with higher mental health rates reported in England between 2020 and 2022.

The study used the ONS definition of alcohol deaths as the cause recorded on the death certificate as being solely attributable to alcohol. This excludes deaths caused in part by alcohol, such as alcohol-related cancers or traffic accidents.

The researchers received funding from the Society for the Study of Addiction, Cancer Research in the UK and the National Institute for Health Research.

Dr. Katherine Severi, executive director at the Institute for Alcohol Studies, said:“It is shocking to see that almost 4,000 people in England have died from alcohol than expected since the pandemic, with the number continuing to rise.

"We have known for years that changes in drinking habits have increased during lockdowns. This study highlights the impact on worsening health inequalities across England.

"The Government has made inequalities one of its health priorities. There is no way to do this without introducing a comprehensive alcohol strategy that tackles cheap, over-available and aggressively marketed alcohol."

Five years after the start of the pandemic, we are still seeing the devastating consequences of increased alcohol consumption. Drinking trends have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, and the latest data confirms that alcohol-related deaths remain at record highs - and those who were already at greatest risk were the most severely affected.

Alarmingly, the burden of alcohol harm continues to fall disproportionately on the most disadvantaged communities, deepening existing health inequalities. The Government must act urgently to introduce evidence-based policies such as minimum unit pricing to reduce alcohol harm and save lives. “

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Chairman, Alcohol Health Alliance

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