Significant increases in alcohol-induced deaths have occurred among all racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. over the past two decades, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
For the study, researchers examined trends in alcohol-related death for all Americans over age 15 between 2000 and 2016 using data from the CDC's National Vital Statistics System.
Four study findings:
1. A total of 425,045 alcohol-induced deaths were identified between 2000 and 2016.
2. The annual alcohol-related mortality rate increased for both men and women over the study period, but showed a significant acceleration between 2012 and 2016.
3. The alcohol-induced mortality rate increased by 4.2 percent for men from 2012-16 and by 7.1 percent for women from 2013-16.
4. American Indian and Alaska Natives, along with white women, experienced the greatest increases in alcohol-induced death.
"The recent acceleration of alcohol-induced deaths observed in this study indicates a broad public health challenge worthy of urgent attention," researchers concluded, noting that increases in alcohol-related death among young Americans may also signify future increases in alcohol-related disease.