Women's Health

Alcohol-related deaths rising faster among women

Research we're watching

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
  • Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor

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Alcohol-related deaths in the United States are rising faster among women than men, a new analysis suggests.

For the study, published in the July 2023 issue of JAMA Network Open, researchers evaluated CDC data tracking underlying causes of death from 1999 to 2020. In that period, about 606,000 Americans died of alcohol-related causes, which included alcohol poisoning, liver disease, and heart problems, among others. The researchers found that while men still die of alcohol-related problems in far greater numbers than women, deaths among women are growing at a faster rate. Between 2018 and 2020, alcohol-related death rates among men increased by an average of 12.5% per year; for women, the annual average increased nearly 15%.

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About the Author

photo of Maureen Salamon

Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch

Maureen Salamon is executive editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch. She began her career as a newspaper reporter and later covered health and medicine for a wide variety of websites, magazines, and hospitals. Her work has … See Full Bio
View all posts by Maureen Salamon

About the Reviewer

photo of Toni Golen, MD

Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor

Dr. Toni Golen is a physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, practicing in Boston. Dr. Golen completed her residency training at George Washington University Medical Center in 1995, and is an associate professor at Harvard Medical … See Full Bio
View all posts by Toni Golen, MD

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