by In a study analyzing data from a deidentified commercial insurance database with over 14 million patients aged 15 and older, researchers observed concerning trends in alcohol-related hospital admissions among middle-aged women. The study focused on alcohol-related health complications requiring urgent medical care, such as liver diseases, alcohol withdrawal, and heart issues.
Lead author Bryant Shuey, M.D., M.P.H., noted that while alcohol-related deaths have historically been higher among men, the rate of change has accelerated among women in recent years. The study uncovered that middle-aged women experienced higher-than-expected rates of hospital admissions for alcohol-related complications during the pandemic, particularly concerning cases of alcohol-related liver diseases.
Although the exact reasons for these increases remain unclear, previous research has indicated a rise in alcohol use among U.S. women compared to men over the past decade. The pandemic may have exacerbated this trend, leading to new or worsening alcohol-related health problems for women. Factors such as limited access to outpatient healthcare and relaxed alcohol policies during the pandemic, including alcohol delivery services, likely played a role in the surge of high-acuity alcohol-related episodes.
The study underscores the urgent need for public health and clinical interventions to address the concerning rise in alcohol-related health complications among middle-aged women. Shuey emphasized the importance of reducing alcohol consumption to improve health, highlighting the availability of effective treatments for alcohol addiction and policy measures to curb harmful alcohol use.
While the study primarily focused on middle-aged women, the researchers suggest that similar increases in alcohol-related complications may have also impacted males, indicating the necessity for further research to fully understand the implications of alcohol use during the pandemic.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
