Scots drank less, but alcohol related deaths up during the pandemic

New data from public health Scotland has revealed that during the pandemic Scots drank less alcohol.

However, despite the overall drop, many people began to drink more, and that resulted in an increase of drink related deaths over the past two years.

In response to the study, Alison Douglas, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland said, “While it is positive that overall Scots drank less during the last two years, this needs to seen in the context of the devastating rise in deaths caused by alcohol during the same period.

"Drinking habits appear to have become polarised; some have cut down, while others – particularly heavier drinkers – have increased their drinking. In addition, it has been challenging for people to access the support they need, with reports of services being reduced or operating online for periods of time.

“Helping people to reduce how much they drink must remain a priority as part of Scotland’s recovery from COVID-19.

"This can be achieved both through the provision of accessible and recovery-oriented support for those with alcohol problems, combined with preventative approaches, such as increasing the minimum unit price to 65p per unit, introducing restrictions on alcohol marketing, and reducing the ready availability of alcohol.”

9% increase in deaths

New figures from Public Health Scotland show deaths wholly linked to alcohol increased since before the pandemic, despite th decrease in general consumption.

Deaths were 9% higher in 2020 (1,190) than the annual average in 2017-19 (1,093).

The increase was driven particularly by males and those aged 45 to 64 years, groups that already had among the highest alcohol-specific death rates before the pandemic.

There were fewer hospital admissions involving a diagnosis entirely attributed to alcohol, with rates 7.3% lower in 2020 than the 2017-19 average, the research found.

PHS researchers said the figures show there is concern that groups more prone to alcohol-specific deaths increased their consumption even more during the pandemic, and, having reduced access to hospital treatment for alcohol-related conditions, this could have potentially led to them experience higher rates of mortality as a consequence.

Lucie Giles, Public Health intelligence principal at PHS, said: "Taken together, the evidence points to increased drinking amongst some groups, coupled with a reduction in the number of people accessing hospital treatment and greater rates of death caused by alcohol."

She said tackling alcohol consumption and harms, particularly among high-risk groups, should be a "critical objective" of any Covid-19 recovery plans.

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