A new study has revealed a troubling rise in deaths from alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), particularly among women and adults aged 25 to 44. This increase has been linked to elevated alcohol consumption during the Covid-19 pandemic and worsening health factors such as obesity and hypertension.
Despite the pandemic now being under control, the social and health disparities it intensified have had lasting impacts. Between 2018 and 2022, deaths from ALD rose by nearly 9% annually — more than double the annual increase of 3.5% seen between 2006 and 2018.
Although men still account for the highest ALD death rates at 17 per 100,000, the rate among women is rising faster. In 2022, ALD caused the death of 8 in every 100,000 women — up from just 3 per 100,000 at the beginning of the study period. Women’s death rates have been growing at about 4.3% annually, nearly twice the rate of men.
Researchers point out that women are biologically less efficient at metabolizing alcohol, making them more vulnerable to its long-term health impacts even with lower levels of consumption.
The data also highlights a sharp increase in alcohol-related hepatitis deaths among adults aged 25 to 44. Experts warn that the full consequences of this trend may not be fully realized for another 5 to 10 years, given that cirrhosis takes time to develop.
The study was published in JAMA Network Open and was based on death certificate data from across the United States.