Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to analyse premature deaths due to alcohol consumption in 2004 in Spain and its different Autonomous Communities. DESIGN: Using data on deaths that can be attributed to alcohol consumption in 2004 for Spain and its different Autonomous Communities, the Potential Years of Life Lost (PYLL) were calculated up to the age of 70 for each diagnostic category, by sex and 5-year age groups. SETTING: Spain: 17 Autonomous Communities, Ceuta and Melilla. PARTICIPANTS: Data on deaths that can be attributed to alcohol consumption in 2004 for Spain and its different Autonomous Communities. MEASUREMENTS: The number of PYLL, the percentage of PYLL, and average PYLL. RESULTS: During 2004, 118,411 PYLL were lost, 4 times higher in males than in females, the average PYLL per death being attributable to alcohol was 22.6 years (ranging from 34.7 in Ceuta and 20.2 in Asturias). Acute causes (68% of the PYLL), and in particular unintentional accidents (47.9 of the PYLL), were the main causes that contributed to premature death related to alcohol consumption in Spain and in each of Spanish Autonomous Communities. CONCLUSIONS: The estimation of the PYLL shows the great impact that alcohol consumption has on the premature death rate in Spain ant the Spanish Autonomous Communities. Given that alcohol consumption is an avoidable cause of death, the adoption of preventive measures aimed at reducing consumption, as well as the early detection and treatment of possible alcohol related problems is vital.