Researchers from the National School of Public Health (ENS) of the ISCIII, in collaboration with the Complutense University of Madrid and IdISSC, have published a report updating estimates of alcohol-related mortality in Spain for the period 2001-2021. The research, funded by the Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs, details that in 2021, 13,887 alcohol-attributable deaths were estimated in the population over 15 years of age.
The scientific team, led by Marta Donat, Julieta Politi, Paule González-Recio, Gregorio Barrio, and María José Belza, highlights that the age-standardized mortality rate attributable to alcohol decreased by 34.7% between 2001-2004 and 2021. Despite this reduction, the researchers emphasize that "the burden remains high, underscoring the importance of maintaining prevention and harm reduction strategies related to alcohol consumption".
Although previous estimates already indicated a decline, they are not directly comparable due to different methodologies. This report provides a homogeneous series to observe the evolution of this indicator during the first two decades of the 21st century.
The results reveal that nearly two out of every three alcohol-attributable deaths (64.9%) were premature (before the age of 75). 78.3% of these deaths occurred in men, who had a four times higher risk of alcohol-attributable mortality than women. The main causes of death were cancer (5,805 deaths), digestive diseases (5,303), and external causes (2,605). The authors note that "the impact goes far beyond liver diseases, with a significant contribution to deaths from other pathologies".
In 2021, alcohol contributed to 3.3% of all deaths in the population aged 15 and over in Spain, a proportion that rises to 9.7% among individuals aged 35 to 54 years.
“"Considering the weight of premature deaths and that the estimates made are quite conservative, alcohol consumption continues to represent a significant burden of disease and death in Spain. Most alcohol-attributable deaths, especially among men, are related to excessive consumption, and territorial inequalities still persist. These results highlight the importance of maintaining and reinforcing preventive strategies, especially in territories where the risk is higher and where the observed declines have been slower."
