[Mortality related with alcohol in Spain and the different Autonomous Communities of Spain in 2004].

Introduction: Alcohol consumption is associated with great morbidity-mortality rate. The aim of this study is to analyze the mortality that can be attributed to alcohol consumption in Spain and in its different Autonomous Communities during 2004.

Method: The records of deaths by cause of death were used, grouped by age, gender and 60 diagnostic categories. The number of deaths attributable to alcohol consumption according to gender and age group in 2004 for Spain and the different Autonomous Communities was calculated by means of the alcohol attributable fractions proposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for calculating the mortality rates in the U.S.A. in 2001. The raw and adjusted mortality rates attributable to alcohol per 100,000 inhabitants were calculated with respect to the European population standard.

Results: Alcohol-related mortality in Spain was 2.3%; 3.2% for men and 1.2% for women. The Community of Murcia, with a mortality rate of 2.9%, together with those of Andalusia, the Canary Islands, the Basque Country and Asturias, had the highest rates of mortality attributable to alcohol in 2004. The highest adjusted mortality rates attributable to alcohol were found in Asturias, Murcia, Galicia and the Basque Country.

Conclusions: In the different Autonomous Communities of Spain, alcohol consumption is an important cause of death. This information is of use for identifying priorities and to evaluate intervention programs. Chronic causes, in general, have a greater weight in mortality rates than acute causes, disease of the digestive system having the highest rate of contribution.