A SURGE in deaths blamed on booze is an “acute crisis” requiring urgent action, experts warn.
Death rates linked solely to alcohol increased by a fifth in England in 2020, rising by a further 13.5 per cent between 2020 and 2022.
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Around 3,911 more people died because of booze in that two-year period than would have been the case if pre-pandemic trends had continued, scientists at University College London and the University of Sheffield estimate.
Men, people from deprived areas and those aged 50 to 69 were most affected.
The main cause was a steep rise in liver damage triggered by drinking too much. Deaths from acute alcohol poisoning also increased.
Lead author Dr Melissa Oldham, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, said: “The sharp increase in alcohol deaths during the pandemic was no flash in the pan. The higher rate has persisted and is getting worse each year.
“It is an acute crisis, and urgent action is needed to prevent further avoidable deaths.
“This includes substantial investment in health services to better detect and treat liver disease as well as policies to reduce alcohol consumption in the population as a whole, such as minimum unit pricing and advertising restrictions.”
Senior author Professor Colin Angus, of the University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health, added: “The increase in alcohol deaths is entrenching existing health inequalities.
“Men, just as before the pandemic, are twice as likely to die because of alcohol compared to women, with almost three times as many additional alcohol-specific deaths in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived.”
This could be partly explained by more frequent binge drinking, obesity, sedentary lifestyles and “psychological distress” from Covid lockdowns, scientists said.
The study, published in The Lancet, analysed Office for National Statistics figures from 2018 to 2022.
The latest data shows alcohol deaths continuing to rise in England, up to 8,276.
Dr Katherine Severi, chief executive at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, said: “It’s shocking to see that almost 4,000 more people died in England from alcohol than was expected since the pandemic, with the number continuing to rise.
“We’ve known for years now that changing drinking habits during lockdowns increased levels of alcohol harm.
“This study underlines the impact that had on worsening health inequalities across England.
“The government has made tackling inequalities one of its health priorities.
“There is no way of doing that without introducing a comprehensive alcohol strategy that tackles cheap, excessively available, and aggressively marketed alcohol.”
Total number of alcohol deaths in England per year
- 2018: 5,698
- 2019: 5,820
- 2020: 6,984
- 2021: 7,558
- 2022: 7,912
- 2023: 8,276
Source: Office for National Statistics
Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, added: “Five years on from 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-specific deaths remain at record highs – hitting those who were already at greatest risk before the pandemic the hardest.
“Alarmingly, the burden of alcohol harm continues to fall disproportionately on the most deprived communities, and it is 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.”
ARE YOU AT RISK?
More than 600,000 people in the UK are dependent on alcohol.
According to Drinkaware, the most common signs include:
- Often feeling the need to have a drink
- Getting into trouble because of drinking
- Other people warning about how much you/they are drinking
- Thinking your/their drinking is causing problems
But even if you’re not addicted to booze, you may still need to cut down to avoid health problems, such as heart disease, liver disease and cancer.
The Priory Group says these behavioural changes might be considered warning signs that you have a drinking problem:
- People close to you have expressed concerns
- You self-medicate using alcohol
- You’ve become secretive about your drinking
- Your work and home life is being affected
- You’ve tried to cut down but couldn’t
- You regularly drink heavily alone
- Everything you do seems to revolve around drinking
- Screening tools suggest you’ve got a drinking problem
- You’re experiencing the symptoms of alcohol addiction – e.g. regular headaches, disrupted sleep, anxiety, irritability
If you’re worried, speak to your GP or contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 or online for free, confidential advice.
Remember: there is no safe drinking level. But if you consume under 14 units a week – equivalent to six pints of beer – this is considered low-risk drinking.
Is your loved one at risk? Here’s how to help
By Katrina Turrill, Health News Editor
THE signs someone has become dependent on alcohol can be hard to spot. And it’s not possible to predict if and when it will happen.
However, a study published in 2021 found people with common mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety and phobia, were twice as likely to report an alcohol use disorder than people without common mental disorders.
According to the Health Service Executive (HSE), there are nine signs of alcohol dependence. These include:
- Not being able to function without alcohol – for example, not being able to do your job or carry out daily tasks
- Drinking has become an important, or the most important, thing in life
- Continuing to drink despite negative consequences for you or your loved ones
- Finding it difficult to control the amount or the times when you drink
- Finding it difficult to stop drinking when you want to
- Not always being able to plan with certainty how much you are going to drink on an occasion
- Drinking increasing amounts of alcohol
- Craving alcohol or having withdrawal symptoms
- Not seeming to be drunk after drinking large amounts
Experts say some people might not be completely dependent on alcohol, but may indulge in harmful patterns of alcohol use.
This could include periods of binge drinking followed by restrictions.
If you’re worried about someone else’s drinking habits it can be hard to know what to say or what to do.
Experts at Drinkaware state that before approaching them, you should try to think about how you would feel if a friend or a loved one started a conversation with you about your drinking. Here’s how to approach the situation:
- Choose a safe and comfortable place and use supportive language
- Show you are concerned and try the following phrase: “I’ve noticed that you aren’t so positive since you’ve been drinking more. This isn’t the kind of person I know you to be. I’m not bringing it up to upset you, but because I’m concerned.”
- Express how it’s making you feel: “I feel sad that we don’t do X, Y or Z anymore because it meant we had quality time together.”
- Highlight that they have stopped doing things they enjoy: “I thought it was great when you were going to yoga/football/your night class etc.”
- Ask what it is that makes them want to drink
- Avoid criticism and try to keep questions open such as ‘don’t you think you have a problem?’
- Complete the Drinkaware Drinking Check – a simple online quiz that takes just three minutes and gives you a score to help you understand what impact your drinking might be having on your health.
Sometimes, discussing the issue with your loved one is enough to get them to stop. But they might also need professional help.
If this is the case, it’s key that you encourage them to speak to their GP, who can discuss the services and treatments available after assessing drinking habits by using screening tests.
Treatment usually involves counselling and medication to slowly cut down on drinking and avoid withdrawal symptoms.
There are also a number of charities, support groups, and private clinics available to offer help.
It is always worth noting the guidelines from the chief medical officer. These state:
- To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level, it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis.
- If you regularly drink as much as 14 units per week, it’s best to spread your drinking evenly over three or more days. If you have one or two heavy drinking episodes a week, you increase your risk of long-term illness and injury.
- The risk of developing a range of health problems (including cancers of the mouth, throat and breast) increases the more you drink on a regular basis.
- If you wish to cut down the amount you drink, a good way to help achieve this is to have several drink-free days a week.
- If you are pregnant or think you could become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all, to keep risks to your baby to a minimum.
- Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, with the more you drink the greater the risk.