Rising alcohol death rates among women outpace men, CDC report shows
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Historically, men are disproportionately affected by alcohol use disorder but according to new research that’s not the case anymore.
According to a new report by the CDC, the average number of deaths from excessive alcohol use including both partially and fully alcohol-attributable conditions, increased by approximately 29% from 2016-17 to 2020-21.
While the sheer number of men dying from alcohol-related illnesses is still larger, women make up a larger growth percentage.
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Men saw an increase of approximately 27% while in women that number was approximately 35%.
According to data from the American Journal of Gastroenterology, by the year 2040 women will account for close to half of alcohol-associated liver disease costs in the U.S., a $66 billion total price tag.
Dr. Kathleen Grant is a neuroscientist at Oregon National Primate Center at Oregon Health and Science University studying risk factors for alcohol use and misuse.
She and her team of researchers mirror human behaviors in monkeys and study their responses. One of her areas of expertise is looking at risk factors for alcohol exposure and overuse.
“There’s these physiological, biological, genetic factors that we are trying to see if any of them would be really effective targets for treatment either prevention and go from there,” Dr. Grant told KOIN 6 News.
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Research Dr. Grant recently published shows there is a way forward and out of alcohol overuse through gene therapy.
Just last year she published a study in the medical journal “Nature Medicine” sharing how a gene therapy in clinical trials currently to help treat Parkinson’s Disease shows tremendous success in curbing alcoholism.
Clinical trials take a lot of time and money and since the clinical trials are moving forward just in a different application, Dr. Grant said they are waiting for those results to then further research how this could help those who struggle with alcohol use disorder.
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