Alcohol-attributable deaths and years of potential life lost among American Indians and Alaska Natives--United States, 2001--2005

Abstract

Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading preventable cause of death in the United States and has substantial public health impact on American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations. To estimate the average annual number of alcohol-attributable deaths (AADs) and years of potential life lost (YPLLs) among AI/ANs in the United States, CDC analyzed 2001-2005 data (the most recent data available), using death certificate data and CDC Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) software. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that AADs accounted for 11.7% of all AI/AN deaths, that the age-adjusted AAD rate for AI/ANs was approximately twice that of the U.S. general population, and that AI/ANs lose 6.4 more years of potential life per AAD compared with persons in the U.S. general population (36.3 versus 29.9 years). These findings underscore the importance of implementing effective population-based interventions to prevent excessive alcohol consumption and to reduce alcohol-attributable morbidity and mortality among AI/ANs.