According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 2021 alcohol-involved death rate in West Virginia was 14.6 per 100,000 people, slightly higher than the national average. Research shows that the alcohol-related death rate in the U.S. has increased by nearly 50% in less than two decades. The U.S. alcohol-related death rate held steady at 7 deaths per 100,000 people from 2000 to 2006. The rate substantially increased for 11 out of 13 years, averaging 10.4 deaths by 2019. Every state but Alaska and Hawaii has significantly increased since 2006.
Alcohol-related deaths in the U.S.
Drinking alcohol contributes to over 95,000 deaths annually, accounting for the third-highest preventable deaths in the U.S. In 2020, alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. increased by 26%. The non-metro and small-to-medium metro areas typically have higher alcohol-related death rates than larger metro areas. The alcohol-related deaths identified in the CDC WONDER Database primarily feature alcohol-induced conditions like accidental alcohol poisoning or exposure, degeneration of the nervous system from alcohol, alcoholic liver disease and alcoholic gastritis.
Alcohol-related injuries in the U.S.
The rate of alcohol-related emergency department visits increased by over 45% from 2006 to 2014. On average, alcohol-related incidents account for around 200,000 emergency visits each year. Alcohol is a contributing factor in approximately 18.5% of all emergency room visits. During 2021, alcohol-impaired driving accounted for over 30% of all driving fatalities. Aside from the drunk driving accident injuries admitted to emergency rooms, alcohol can lead to chronic conditions like liver diseases, cardiovascular diseases, various cancers and alcohol use disorder.
From 2015 to 2019, the U.S. averaged over 140,000 alcohol-related deaths per year. On average, more than 350 Americans suffer an alcohol-related death every day. The alcohol-related death rate begins to increase at age 24 and gradually declines again at age 64. Overall, adult males over age 35 are especially susceptible. The rate of alcohol-related deaths among adults aged 18 to 24 is 0.5 deaths per 100,000 people. The rate for seniors aged 55 to 64 is 32.5 alcohol-related deaths per 100,000 people.
