Vital Signs: Alcohol Poisoning Deaths — United States, 2010–2012

Dafna Kanny, PhD; Robert D. Brewer, MD; Jessica B. Mesnick, MPH; Leonard J. Paulozzi, MD; Timothy S. Naimi, MD; Hua Lu, MS

Disclosures

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2015;63(53):1238-1242.

Results

During 2010–2012, there was an annual average of 2,221 alcohol poisoning deaths, an age-adjusted rate of 8.8 deaths per 1 million population, among persons aged ≥15 years in the United States (Table 1). Of these deaths, 1,681 (75.7%) were among adults aged 35–64 years, and 1,696 (76.4%) were among men. The highest death rate from alcohol poisoning was among men aged 45–54 years (25.6 deaths per 1 million). Although non-Hispanic whites accounted for the majority of alcohol poisoning deaths (67.5%; 1,500 deaths), the highest age-adjusted alcohol poisoning death rate was among American Indians/Alaska Natives (49.1 deaths per 1 million). A total annual average of 44 deaths (2.0%) involved persons aged 15–20 years, who were under the legal drinking age of 21.

The age-adjusted alcohol poisoning death rate in states ranged from 5.3 per 1 million in Alabama to 46.5 per 1 million in Alaska (Table 2). Twenty states had alcohol poisoning death rates greater than the overall national rate of 8.8 per 1 million, and two states (Alaska and New Mexico) had alcohol poisoning death rates >30 per 1 million. States with the highest death rates were located mostly in the Great Plains and western United States, but also included two New England states (Rhode Island and Massachusetts) (Figure).

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Figure.

Age-adjusted alcohol poisoning* death rates,^† by state^§ — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2010–2012
* Alcohol poisoning deaths included those occurring among those aged ≥15 years in which alcohol poisoning was classified as the underlying (i.e., principal) cause of death based on International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes X45 (accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol) and Y15 (poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent).
^†Rates per 1 million population for persons aged ≥15 years were calculated using U.S. Census bridged-race population for 2010–2012, and were age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. Census standard population.
^§The average annual number of alcohol poisoning deaths in Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, North Dakota, and Vermont was less than seven and therefore, did not meet standards of reliability and precision to calculate age-adjusted death rates.

Alcohol dependence was listed as a contributing cause of death in an annual average of 677 (30.4%) of the deaths from alcohol poisoning, and hypothermia was listed as a contributing cause of death in an annual average of 134 (6.0%) deaths. Drug poisoning and drug use mental disorders were listed as contributing causes of death in an annual average of 62 (2.8%) and 86 (3.9%) deaths from alcohol poisoning, respectively.

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Table 1. Alcohol poisoning deaths,* by sex, age group, and race/ethnicity — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2010–2012
Characteristic	Total			Male			Female
Characteristic	Average annual no. of deaths	% of total deaths	Age-adjusted rate^†	Average annual no. of deaths	% of male deaths	Age-adjusted rate^†	Average annual no. of deaths	% of female deaths	Age-adjusted rate^†
Overall	2,221	100.0	8.8	1,696	100.0	13.7	525	100.0	4.1
Age group ^§ (yrs)
15–24	113	5.1	2.6	85	5.0	3.8	28	5.4	1.3
25–34	288	13.0	6.9	228	13.4	10.9	60	11.4	2.9
35–44	476	21.4	11.7	370	21.8	18.2	106	20.2	5.2
45–54	747	33.6	16.7	564	33.3	25.6	183	34.8	8.1
55–64	458	20.6	12.2	352	20.7	19.3	107	20.3	5.5
≥65	139	6.3	3.3	98	5.8	5.4	41	7.9	1.8
Race/Ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic	1,500	67.5	8.8	1,103	65.0	13.1	397	75.6	4.6
Black, non-Hispanic	191	8.6	6.2	149	8.8	10.6	42	8.1	2.6
Hispanic	338	15.2	9.0	296	17.5	15.6	41	7.9	2.4
American Indian/Alaska Native	154	6.9	49.1	114	6.7	75.0	39	7.5	24.3
Asian/Pacific Islander	32	1.5	2.2	28	1.7	4.1	4	0.8	—^¶

*Alcohol poisoning deaths included those occurring among persons aged ≥15 years in which alcohol poisoning was classified as the underlying (i.e., principal) cause of death based onInternational Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes X45 (accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol) and Y15 (poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent).
^†Rates per 1 million population for persons aged ≥15 years were calculated using U.S. Census bridged-race population for 2010–2012, and were age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. Census standard population.
^§Age-specific rate.
^¶Number of deaths was too small to meet standards of reliability and precision to calculate age-adjusted death rate.

Table 2. Average annual number of alcohol poisoning deaths,* by state — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2010–2012
State^†	Average annual no. of deaths	Age-adjusted rate^§
Quartile 1 (5.3–6.7 death rate)
Alabama	20	5.3
Texas	109	5.4
Illinois	57	5.6
Virginia	40	5.9
Wisconsin	28	6.0
Idaho	8	6.1
Louisiana	22	6.2
Pennsylvania	68	6.5
Connecticut	19	6.6
Florida	103	6.7
Mississippi	15	6.7
New Hampshire	8	6.7
Quartile 2 (6.8–8.5 death rate)
Ohio	64	6.9
South Carolina	28	7.4
Missouri	38	7.7
Tennessee	41	7.8
Georgia	62	7.8
Arkansas	17	7.8
Maryland	37	7.8
Washington	46	8.1
Maine	9	8.1
Nebraska	11	8.1
Montana	7	8.5
Quartile 3 (8.6–11.8 death rate)
Indiana	43	8.6
North Carolina	68	8.6
New York	143	8.8
Kentucky	32	9.1
Kansas	22	9.6
Iowa	23	9.7
Michigan	77	9.7
Nevada	21	9.8
New Jersey	74	9.9
California	299	9.9
West Virginia	17	11.2
Quartile 4 (11.9–46.5 death rate)
Massachusetts	67	11.9
Oklahoma	37	12.6
Oregon	42	12.7
Colorado	60	14.4
Minnesota	73	16.4
Utah	33	16.7
South Dakota	11	17.0
Wyoming	8	17.7
Arizona	93	18.7
Rhode Island	21	22.8
New Mexico	52	32.7
Alaska	27	46.5

*Alcohol poisoning deaths included those occurring among those aged ≥15 years in which alcohol poisoning was classified as the underlying (i.e., principal) cause of death based on International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) Codes: X45 (Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol), Y15 (Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent).
^†The average annual number of alcohol poisoning deaths in Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, North Dakota, and Vermont was less than seven and therefore, did not meet standards of reliability and precision to calculate age-adjusted death rates.
^§Rates per 1 million population for persons aged ≥15 years were calculated using U.S. Census bridged-race population for 2010–2012, and were age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. Census standard population.