Alcohol-related death rates among women have increased over the past decade, alongside a rise in high-risk drinking rates.
According to the National Data Agency, the alcohol-related death rate for women was recorded at 3.1 per 100,000 people last year, up from 2.4 in 2015, marking an increase of 0.7 over the ten-year period.
The most significant rise was observed among women in their 50s, whose alcohol-related death rate increased from 4.3 in 2015 to 6.6 last year, a jump of 2.3. Women in their 40s also saw an increase, from 4.6 to 5.7 during the same period.
The National Data Agency classifies 14 diseases, disorders, and addictions related to alcohol use, including mental and behavioral disorders, liver disease, and gastritis, as causes of alcohol-related deaths.
In contrast, the alcohol-related death rate for men decreased slightly from 16.4 in 2015 to 16.0 last year, although it remains 5.2 times higher than that of women. The overall alcohol-related death rate for both genders was 9.4 last year, a slight decrease from 9.5 in 2015.
Changes in drinking behavior among women have also been notable.
Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Survey results via the National Statistical Portal (KOSIS) revealed that the high-risk drinking rate among women aged 19 and older was 8.6% in 2024, up from 6.6% in 2014, representing a 2.0 percentage point increase. This figure is 2.5 times higher than the 3.4% recorded in 2005.
Conversely, the high-risk drinking rate for men decreased from 20.7% in 2014 to 18.6% in 2024, although it remains higher than that of women. The overall high-risk drinking rate for both genders was 13.6% in 2024, a slight increase from 13.5% in 2014.
High-risk drinking is defined as consuming alcohol twice a week or more, with an average of seven or more drinks per occasion for men and five or more for women.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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