An approach to problem of alcohol-related mortality in the State of Connecticut: morbility from annual discarges at Yale-New Haven Hospital

The impact of alcohol abuse on the population in the State of Connecticut in recent years was studied. Mortality for three medical conditions, highly related to excessive and prolonged alcohol abuse (viz: 291 alcoholic psychosis; 303 alcoholism; 571 cirrhosis of the liver) in a relative short period of time was analyzed. The trend in alcohol-related deaths from 1970 to 1980 reached the peak in 1972 and declined steadily until 1980. Cirrhosis of the liver represents more than 80% of the total selected alcohol-related causes of death and cirrhosis with mention of alcohol is about 40% of all cases of mortality due to cirrhosis. Additional data of annual discharges at Yale-New Haven Hospital show a decrease of 25% of all alcohol-related diagnoses in 1980 and 1981. Within this category, the highest frequency of annual hospital discharges occurs in the 35-44 age group.