TABLE 39
ALCOHOL-RELATED DEATHS BY CAUSE
BRITISH COLUMBIA, 1993-1997 and 1998
| |
Year of Death |
| |
1993 - 1997 |
1998 |
| Cause of Death |
ICD9 Code(s) |
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
| Directly Related to Alcohol |
| Alcoholic psychoses & dependence |
291, 303 |
632 |
7.3 |
135 |
7.1 |
| Alcoholic intoxication |
305.0, 790.3 |
63 |
0.7 |
7 |
0.4 |
| Alcoholic gastritis |
535.3 |
18 |
0.2 |
5 |
0.3 |
| Liver disease/cirrhosis |
571.0-571.3, 571.5, 571.9 |
1,275 |
14.8 |
257 |
13.6 |
| Chronic pancreatitis |
577.1 |
17 |
0.2 |
2 |
0.1 |
| Accidental alcohol poisoning |
E860 |
126 |
1.5 |
22 |
1.2 |
| Other |
357.5, 425.5, 648.4, 760.7 |
129 |
1.5 |
35 |
1.8 |
| Subtotal |
|
2,260 |
26.2 |
463 |
24.5 |
| Indirectly Related to Alcohol |
| Infectious/parasitic diseases |
001-139 |
211 |
2.5 |
60 |
3.2 |
| Neoplasms |
140-239 |
1,085 |
12.6 |
242 |
12.8 |
| Endocrine/nutritional/metabolic diseases |
240-279 |
184 |
2.1 |
39 |
2.1 |
| Mental disorders |
290-319 |
68 |
0.8 |
22 |
1.2 |
| Neurological disorders |
320-359 |
98 |
1.1 |
22 |
1.2 |
| Diseases of the circulatory system |
390-459 |
1,804 |
21.0 |
414 |
21.9 |
| Diseases of the respiratory system |
460-519 |
625 |
7.3 |
147 |
7.8 |
| Diseases of the digestive system |
520-579 |
345 |
4.0 |
85 |
4.5 |
| Diseases of the urinary system |
580-599 |
57 |
0.7 |
19 |
1.0 |
| Accidents* |
E800-E949, E970-E979, E990-E999 |
1,237 |
14.4 |
244 |
12.9 |
| Suicide |
E950-E959 |
436 |
5.1 |
80 |
4.2 |
| Homicide |
E960-E969 |
63 |
0.7 |
6 |
0.3 |
| Other |
280-289, 360-389, 600-799 |
137 |
1.6 |
49 |
2.6 |
| Subtotal |
|
6,350 |
73.8 |
1,429 |
75.5 |
| TOTAL |
|
8,610 |
100.0 |
1,892 |
100.0 |
Note: Alcohol-related deaths - ICD9 = 291, 303, 305.0, 357.5, 425.5, 535.3, 571.0-571.3, 571.5, 571.9, 577.1, 648.4, 760.7, 790.3 or E860.
*Excludes suicide, homicide and deaths undetermined whether accidental or intentional.
Total percentage may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
Non-residents are excluded.
FIGURE 23
ALCOHOL-RELATED DEATHS BY CAUSE
BRITISH COLUMBIA, 1998
HIGHLIGHTS TO TABLE 39/FIGURE 23
- There were 1,892 deaths that were directly or indirectly related to alcohol in 1998 and 8,610 in the five-year period 1993-1997.
- Deaths that are 'directly' related to alcohol are identified by specific underlying causes of death which involve alcohol. Deaths that are 'indirectly' related to alcohol do not have an alcohol-related underlying cause of death, but alcohol was noted somewhere on the Medical Certification of Death form. In 1993, the Division of Vital Statistics introduced a revised form which contained a box in which physicians and coroners could note environmental, occupational and lifestyle factors, including pesticides, asbestos and abuse of alcohol/tobacco. The addition of this box elicited an increase in the number of times alcohol was mentioned, and therefore has resulted in an increased reporting of deaths indirectly related to alcohol.
- In the 1993-1997 period, 2,260 deaths or 26.2% of alcohol-related deaths were directly related to alcohol, which is based on the underlying cause of death. This proportion decreased as the use of the revised form increased. In 1998, 24.5% of the alcohol-related deaths were directly related (463 deaths).
- In both 1998 and 1993-1997, liver disease/cirrhosis accounted for over half, and alcoholic psychoses & dependence accounted for more than a quarter, of all deaths directly related to alcohol.
- In 1998, there were 1,429 deaths indirectly related to alcohol, which accounted for 75.5% of all alcohol-related deaths. Circulatory system diseases (codes 390-459) were the largest category of deaths indirectly related to alcohol in 1998, and accounted for over a fifth (21.9%) of all alcohol-related deaths (414). Other large causes of death in the indirect group were accidents (244) and neoplasms (242).
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