Alcohol consumption and harms dashboard

About this release

This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) updates the Alcohol Consumption and Harms Dashboard (ACHD) with new estimates of partially attributable alcohol hospital admissions and partially attributable alcohol mortality statistics for persons aged 16 and over covering the calendar years from 2021 to 2023. This is an update to the existing partially attributable alcohol estimates published in March 2024 covering the calendar years 2012 to 2020. In this release the existing partially attributable alcohol estimates covering the period from 2017 to 2020 have been recalculated based on more up to date estimates of alcohol consumption levels in the Scottish population. For further information on methodology see 'Data Sources and Methods' in the dashboard. This release also includes a new page in the ACHD that lets users analyse wholly attributable alcohol deaths, broken down by underlying conditions. This summary uses the European Age-sex Standardised Rate (EASR), which adjusts for age and sex to allow valid comparisons of health outcomes across populations.

For this release of partially attributable alcohol hospital statistics and partially attributable alcohol mortality a number of methodological improvements and/or corrections have been implemented. These changes along with their impacts have been described in detail on the 'Introduction' page of the dashboard. The effect that each of these changes have had, in isolation, on the statistics published in March 2024 covering the period from 2012 to 2020 are also provided on the 'Introduction' page of the dashboard. The cumulative effect of these improvements and corrections on the annual partially attributable alcohol hospital admission figures reported in the March 2024 publication has meant the EASR was on average approximately 0.79% higher (ranging from 0.56% to 1.22% higher per year) between 2012 and 2020. For annual partially attributable alcohol mortality figures the effect of these changes has meant that the EASR was on average approximately 1.45% lower (ranging from 1.14% to 2.07% lower per year) between 2012 and 2020. These methodological improvements and corrections have not resulted in any material changes to the underlying trends or messages previously reported.

Main points

• In 2023, the estimated EASR of partially attributable alcohol hospital admissions in persons aged 16 and over was 421 per 100,000 population. This was 5% higher than the rate in 2022 (403 per 100,000).
• In 2023, males aged 16 and over (492 patients per 100,000 population) were estimated to be 36% more likely than females aged 16 and over (361 patients per 100,000 population) to be admitted to hospitals for conditions partially attributable to alcohol.
• In 2023, the estimated EASR of partially attributable alcohol deaths in persons aged 16 and over was 36 per 100,000 population and was slightly higher than the rate in 2022 (34 per 100,000).
• In 2023, the estimated mortality rate for conditions partially attributable to alcohol in males aged 16 and over (45 per 100,000 population) was 61% higher than the rate observed in females aged 16 and over (28 per 100,000 population).

A line plot, with separate lines for Male, Female and All persons, of estimated partially attributable alcohol mortality rates in persons aged 16 and over in Scotland for the years 2012-2023

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Estimated partially attributable alcohol mortality rates in persons aged 16 and over, Scotland, 2012-2023

Background

Alcohol health harms are either wholly or partially attributable to alcohol consumption. Harms that are wholly attributable to alcohol, such as alcoholic liver disease, are caused entirely by alcohol consumption and would not have occurred in the absence of consumption. Harms that are partially attributable to alcohol may involve alcohol as one of several, but not the only, risk factors. For example, alcohol increases the risk of liver cancer, but other factors may also contribute.

The partially attributable statistics in this release estimate hospital admissions and deaths linked to conditions where alcohol is a contributing factor. Estimates are based on population drinking patterns, alcohol consumption levels, associated health risks and the frequency of related health conditions. For further information on methodology see 'Data Sources and Methods' in the dashboard.

Further information

The next release of this publication will be January 2026.