Portugal has the highest alcohol-related diseases at 5.0%, which is higher than the global statistic estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) of about 3.2%. Liver disease is the most prevalent cause of alcohol-related deaths in the country, followed by car accidents and cancer.
© AFP/File Carl de SouzaApril 23, 2009, (Sawf News) - Portugal has the highest alcohol-related diseases at 5.0%, which is higher than the global statistic estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) of about 3.2%. Liver disease is the most prevalent cause of alcohol-related deaths in the country, followed by car accidents and cancer.
The study, aimed at assessing the burden of diseases attributable to alcohol consumption, showed that 3.8% of all deaths in Portugal are related to alcohol consumption and account for a death toll of 4,054 people every year. Within these, most people are killed by liver disease (28.3%, representing 1,147 individuals), followed by car accidents (26.2%, representing 1,062 individuals) and by different types of cancers associated with alcohol consumption 21%, representing 851 individuals).
Professor Helena Cortez-Pinto who led the study, said: "The results of the study confirm that alcohol is an important health risk factor that is particularly related to liver disease in Portugal. By quantifying the significant impact alcohol has on the nation's health, we highlight the need for effective strategies to promote lifestyle changes and moderate alcohol consumption to reduce death rates, the incidence of liver disease and related costs to the healthcare system."
In this study, researchers estimated the burden and cost of diseases attributable to alcohol drinking based on the demographic and health statistics available for 2005. The results indicate that €14.1 million is attributable to alcohol-related chronic disease admissions (liver diseases, cancer, etc.) and €82.2 million to acute alcohol-related conditions (traffic accidents and external causes), resulting in a total amount of €96.3 million. Furthermore, ambulatory costs of alcohol-related diseases were estimated as €93 million, totaling €189.2 million direct costs attributable to alcohol, which represent 0.13% of the Portuguese Gross Domestic Product and 1.25% of total national health expenditures.
The study population included all individuals from the mainland, aged 15 or over, and alcohol consumption was estimated using the data from the Portuguese National Health Survey of 2005. The results differed according to gender, with 5.6% of deaths occurring in men and representing 6.2% of the disease burden, while 3.6% of deaths occurring in women and represented 1.8% of the disease burden.
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