Alcohol Deaths in America: Pandemic Peaks Fade, But Disparities Endure
Sharp Rise and Uneven Retreat During Crisis Years (Image Credits: Kff.org) Alcohol-induced deaths across the United States followed a pattern of steady growth before the COVID-19 pandemic, a sharp escalation in 2020 and 2021, and a partial decline thereafter that left rates elevated compared to 2019 levels.[1][2] Sharp Rise and Uneven Retreat During Crisis Years Deaths climbed about 5 percent annually from 2014 through 2019, reflecting long-term pressures on public health.[1] That trajectory shattered in 2020, when rates jumped 26 percent from the prior year, reaching a national peak of 54,258 fatalities in 2021.[1][3] Officials attributed much of the surge … Read more