Data Reporter Ralph Blackburn shares this latest news as part of the OnTheWight’s collaboration with Press Association and Urbs Media. Ed
The rate of hospital admissions where alcohol is a contributing factor is rising on the Isle of Wight, figures show.
The number of patients who attended hospital with an alcohol related diagnosis increased to 480 per 100,000 people in 2016-17.
This rate is up by 56 on the previous year, a 13% increase, according to the latest Public Health England data.
Alcohol-related illnesses
The statistics look at admissions where the primary diagnosis or any of the secondary diagnoses are due to alcohol.
Conditions with a main cause of alcohol include liver cirrhosis and alcohol poisoning, while drinking can also lead to forms of cancer and heart disease.
The government estimates alcohol costs the NHS £3.5 billion each year.
Much higher admissions for men
Men are more likely to be admitted to hospital with an alcohol related condition than women.
On the Isle of Wight the rate for men is 608 per 100,000, while for women it sits at 361.
Fall in number of younger drinkers
Dr James Nicholls, director of research and policy development at Alcohol Research UK, said:
“Alcohol related hospital admissions have been stabilising in recent years, but on average are still around 20% higher than they were in 2005.
“Importantly, hospital admissions for younger drinkers are falling, reflecting a long-term decline in youth consumption over the last decade.”
An Office for National Statistics survey last year found that 27% of 16 to 24-year-olds are now teetotal, compared to 19% ten years previously.
In under-18s, women are more likely to be admitted, due to both physiological differences and binge drinking.
45-64 year olds have highest admissions
Dr Nicholls continued,
“At the same time, admissions are highest among people aged between 45 and 64.
“This is the age group which currently drinks the most, and among which consumption has fallen the least.”
He finished by saying,
“One positive trend is that the wholly-attributable narrow measure has been falling in recent years. This may reflect the general decline in consumption across the population since around 2005.”
Image: khawkins04 under CC BY 2.0
