More than 3,700 deaths in Scotland linked to alcohol

Alcohol was one of the primary factors in nearly 4,000 deaths in Scotland, according to the NHS.

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Drink was related to more than 1,000 cancer deaths in 2015, according to NHS Scotland, while a further 41,000 were admitted to hospital as a result of consuming alcohol.

The NHS looked into the number of deaths and hospital admissions caused by alcohol consumption back in 2015, and found that alongside conditions commonly associated with alcohol consumption, such as liver disease, alcohol also has an important role in injuries and the development of other conditions, such as cancer and strokes.

The analysis found that alcohol had contributed to around 3,705 deaths in the same year.

Scotland remains the country in the UK with the highest rate of alcohol-related deaths for both men and women.

However, the rate of alcohol-related deaths does not appear to have changed significantly year-on-year across the UK, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics in November 2017.

The number of alcohol-specific deaths in the UK in 2016 was 7,327 – the equivalent of 11.7 deaths per 100,000 of population.

For instance, in 2001 deaths per 100,000 males in Scotland due to alcohol was 39, whereas in 2016 it was 30.9.

Nonetheless, this is still a long way above the death rate among males in England (14.5) and Wales (22.2).

Elaine Tod, public health intelligence adviser at NHS Health Scotland, said: “Overall, the results tell us that alcohol consumption has a significant impact on health in Scotland – in fact, it contributed to over 100,000 years of life lost due to early death or living in poor health in 2015.

Alcohol has a wider impact on our health than many people think. “Reducing harmful alcohol consumption will reduce this impact, and that would benefit everyone: drinkers and non-drinkers, children and families, communities, the NHS and emergency services, employers and the economy.

“Preventative action is necessary if Scotland is to make long-term reductions in alcohol-related harm.”