A new study has found that deaths from alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) have sharply increased among women and young adults in the United States.
The research, published in JAMA Network Open, analysed death certificates across the country and showed that ALD deaths grew by nearly 9% annually between 2018 and 2022, more than double the 3.5% annual increase recorded from 2006 to 2018.
Pandemic & health conditions drive a surge
Researchers from Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Southern California attributed the spike to increased alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with rising rates of obesity and high blood pressure.
“The pandemic itself came under control, but the disparities that came with it continued and lingered,” said Dr Nasim Maleki, a psychiatry professor at Harvard Medical School.
Women’s ALD death rate growing faster than men’s
Although men continued to record higher absolute death rates, 17 per 100,000 in 2022, the death rate among women has been rising more rapidly.
The study reported that ALD deaths among women rose from 3 to 8 per 100,000 between 2018 and 2022, with an average annual increase of 4.3%, nearly twice the rate seen in men.
Researchers pointed to biological differences in alcohol metabolism as a key factor.
Women’s bodies break down alcohol less efficiently, making even moderate consumption more harmful over time.
Young Adults Face Steep Rise in Alcohol-Related Hepatitis
The study also identified a troubling trend among young adults aged 25 to 44.
This age group experienced the largest annual increase in deaths due to alcohol-associated hepatitis between 1999 and 2022.
“Alcohol-related cirrhosis takes time to develop. So we may not see the full impact of today’s drinking patterns until five or ten years from now,” warned Dr. Robert Wong, a liver specialist at Stanford University.
Alcohol-linked cancer deaths on rise
Supporting the findings, separate data presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology conference revealed that annual deaths due to alcohol-related cancers nearly doubled, from 11,896 in 1990 to 23,207 by 2021.
The researchers urged stronger public health messaging and intervention strategies to address risky drinking behaviours, especially among vulnerable groups like women and young adults.
The findings underscore the long-term health risks posed by alcohol consumption and the need for early prevention to mitigate future health crises.
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