Health Inequalities in Scotland
The impact of alcohol and drug misuse remain significantly worse in the most deprived areas of Scotland.
Alcohol misuse ; Overall patterns
• Rates of alcohol-related hospital admissions have decreased in recent years. There was an 11 per
cent fall between 2006/07 and 2010/11.
• However, there has been a long-term (30-year) increase in alcohol-related problems with alcoholic
liver disease increasing fivefold, alcohol-related hospital admissions quadrupling and alcohol related
deaths trebling.
• There are higher levels of consumption and more significant health problems in Scotland
compared to England and Wales. Alcohol sales are around 20 per cent higher in Scotland than in
England while alcohol-related deaths are around twice as high.
Alcohol Misuse: l Extent of inequalities
• Problems are twice as high among men than among women. One in ten of all hospital discharges
for men was estimated to be attributable to alcohol compared to one in 20 for women. In 2011,
there were 432 female alcohol-related deaths compared to 815 male deaths – almost twice as many.
• Alcohol-related deaths and hospital discharges are around six to seven times higher in the most
deprived areas than in the least deprived areas. In 2010/11, the rate of alcohol-related discharges
was 214 per 100,000 in the least deprived areas compared to 1,621 per 100,000 in the most
deprived areas.
Alcohol Misuse: Change in inequalities
• Health inequalities related to alcohol misuse are relatively stable.