Health related behaviours Deaths and illness attributable to alcohol
Note:
Excludes conditions where low to moderate alcohol consumption has an apparent overall protective effect. Deaths and hospital separations attributable to alcohol use were calculated using age- and sex-specific aetiological fractions from AIHW, 2001. Deaths are for calendar years. Separations are for financial years. ICD-9 codes were used for deaths registered up to 1998 and separations up to 1997-98. ICD-10 codes were used after those dates. Rates were age-adjusted using the Australian population as at 30 June 2001.
Source:
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (aetiologic fractions), 2001. NSW Inpatient Statistics Collection (ISC)-1992/93 to 2003/04 and ABS Mortality data 1992 to 2003 and population estimates (HOIST). Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Health.
Harm caused by excessive alcohol consumption accounts for 4.9% of the total disease burden of illness in Australia (Mathers, et al., 1999). Between 1992 and 2001 an estimated 31,133 Australians died from risky and high risk alcohol consumption, and between 1993/94 and 2000/01 577 269 hospitalisations were caused by risky and high risk alcohol consumption (National Drug and Research Institute, 2003).
Disease caused by risky and high risk drinking include alcohol dependence, some cancers, heart disease and stroke, liver disease, pancreatitis, gastritis and dementia. Misuse of alcohol is also a significant contributor to assaults, road injuries, domestic violence, and suicide (Department of Health and Aged Care, 2001). Between 1992 and 2001, more people died from the acute effects of alcohol than the chronic (long term) effects of alcohol (National Drug and Research Institute, 2003).
Evidence suggests that there are health benefits in the regular consumption of a very small amount of alcohol for those aged over 45 years. The protective effect is observable in ischaemic heart disease and possibly stroke and gall stones (Department of Health and Aged Care, 2001). However, these possible benefits must be balanced with the risks. A small amount of alcohol can lead to higher blood alcohol in older people as the body's total water content decreases (NHMRC, 2001) and may increase the risk of injury from falls or driving.
In Hunter New England in 2003, alcohol use caused an estimated 134 male deaths and 60 female deaths. Between 1992 and 2003, the age-adjusted rate of deaths attributable to alcohol declined from 26.2 to 21.4 deaths per 100,000 persons in the Hunter New England.
In 2003, alcohol caused an estimated 2,675 hospitalisations among males and 1,555 hospitalisations among females. The age-adjusted hospital separation rate between 1992 and 2003 increased from 435.4 to 497.8 hospitalisations per 100,000 persons in the Hunter New England, with the rates increasing for both males and females.
For more information:
Department of Health and Aged Care. National Alcohol Strategy. A Plan for Action 2001 to 2003-04. Canberra: Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, 2001.
Mathers C, Vos T, Stevenson C. The burden of disease and injury in Australia. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 1999. http://www.aihw.gov.au
National Drug Research Institute. Australian Indicators 2003. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2003
National Health and Medical Research Council. Australian Alcohol Guidelines: Health Risks and Benefits. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2001. www.health.gov.au/nhmrc
NSW Department of Health. The NSW Adult Alcohol Action Plan 1998-2002. Sydney: NSW Department of Health, 1998.
Ridolfo B, Stevenson C. The quantification of drug-caused mortality and morbidity in Australia, 1998. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2001. www.aihw.gov.au
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Rider:
The information presented in this report result from analyses of a variety of social and health focused datasets. These datasets originate from a variety of sources including Hunter New England Health, the NSW Department of Health, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The timing of the release of these data to third parties is controlled by the owner of these data. It is therefore possible for these organisations to publish data that they have not yet made available to Hunter New England Population Health for analysis and release. Users should therefore check the publications of these organisations as it is possible that they may have published even more up to date information on Hunter New England than those available in this report. As this report is an ongoing project, the indicators presented will be updated as soon as possible after the release of all datasets to Hunter New England Population Health.
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Hunter New England Population Health. Health in Hunter New England. Hunter New England Area Health Service, 2005. Available at:
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