Excessive alcohol consumption is a major cause of preventable premature death. Liver disease is one of the leading causes of death in England and people are dying from it at younger ages. Alcohol accounts for over a third of all cases of liver disease. Most liver disease is preventable. Liver disease has more than doubled since 1980 and is the only major killer disease on the increase during that period in the UK. The CMO has highlighted liver disease as a major issue. The key measures of mortality due to alcohol used in LAPE and elsewhere are given below.
Alcohol-specific mortality: Deaths from conditions wholly caused by alcohol. This definition is also used by the Office of National Statistics in their annual UK data release.
Alcohol-related mortality: Deaths from conditions which are wholly or partially caused by alcohol. For partially attributable conditions, a fraction of the deaths are included based on the latest academic evidence about the contribution alcohol makes to the condition.
Mortality from chronic liver disease: Deaths from chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis, classified by an underlying cause of death with ICD-10 code K70, K73, or K74.
Years of life lost to alcohol-related conditions: The number of years of life lost up to the age of 75 for individuals who died aged under 75 of an alcohol-related cause.
Statistical commentary of the main findings of the mortality indicator update to LAPE, January 2020.
LAPE Statistical Commentary, January 2020
Statistical commentary of the main findings of the mortality indicator update to LAPE, December 2018.
LAPE Statistical Commentary, December 2018
This statistical report presents a range of information on alcohol use and misuse by adults and children, including alcohol-specific deaths, drawn together from a variety of sources for England unless otherwise stated.
Ad hoc statistical release concerning the number of working years of life lost due to alcohol attributable conditions. Working years of life lost are calculated as the number of years between a death in those aged 16 to 64 years and the age of 65 years.
Working Years of Life Lost due to Alcohol: Ad hoc statistical release
