Baby boomer boozers 'most likely to fall ill'
More "baby boomers" are being admitted to hospital with alcohol-related health problems than any other age group, new figures have revealed.
A report by charity Alcohol Concern showed that 132,532 people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland were treated for injuries and illnesses caused by booze in 2010-11.
It cost the NHS an estimated £43.8 million to treat them.
The number of people treated represents accident and emergency patients, inpatients and outpatients. However, age group breakdowns were only available for in-patients.
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These showed that more people aged 55 to 74, the bracket which includes many of the post-Second World War baby boom generation, were treated than any other age group – 6,973 in total.
In contrast, the smallest group was those aged 16 to 24, with 917 patients.
The 25 to 54 age group had 6,085 inpatients and the over-75s had 4,537.
Eric Appleby, chief executive of Alcohol Concern, said: "It is the common perception that young people are responsible for the increasing cost of alcohol misuse.
"But our findings show that this is not the case. It is the middle-aged, and often middle-class, drinker, regularly drinking above recommended limits, who is requiring complex and expensive NHS care."
Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, president of the British Gastroenterology Society, said: "It is the unwitting chronic middle-aged drinkers who are taking serious risks with their health. They present in hospital with conditions attributable to their alcohol consumption, such as stroke, heart disease, cancer and liver disease.
"People simply do not realise that chronic drinking significantly increases their chances of suffering health problems."
However, doctors at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said they believed the figures might be an overestimate.
Dr Anna Marquiss, a specialist doctor in emergency medicine at the infirmary, said: "The number of patients admitted to hospital due to alcohol-related harm is difficult to pin down.
"It can include someone who has been hit or hurt by someone who was drunk."
A recent study by Dr Marquiss and her colleagues found that in 10 separate 24-hour periods, 280 patients out of 3,956 received treatment in casualty for injuries or health problems related to alcohol.
Work is under way to try and estimate the costs to the NHS.
Dr Marquiss said: "I have been working in A&E for 20 years and seen a huge increase in the number of people coming in due to alcohol problems.
"I think alcohol catches up with people.
"It is not that people are getting really drunk, just drinking more frequently.
"Also, life is difficult out there at the moment and there will be people who have a bit of a drink because things are hard."
In 2009, an alcohol liaison worker was taken on to help identify patients with drink problems coming in to hospital. There are now two more.
Dr Marquiss said: "There is obviously a problem with alcohol but I am not sure that it is on as large a scale as the figures from Alcohol Concern suggest."
Comments
by Graham_LE8
Monday, October 15 2012, 6:06PM
“I don't think the headline figures actually tell us any more than we didn't already know, ie:
1) a persistent section of society drinks to excess
2) younger people have greater recuperative powers than older folk
3) in later life the cumulative effect of a hedonistic lifestyle takes it's toll”
by LeeLeicester
Monday, October 15 2012, 12:44PM
“I guess you could make what you want of the figures with all the age groups being all over the place. I think the 16-24s still get more drunk than other groups but the older groups are most likely to be suffering from the effects of long term drinking such as liver disease or pancriatic problems”
by john_red
Monday, October 15 2012, 10:59AM
“It can be wrongfully assumed that substance abusers lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop using substances simply by choosing to change their behaviour.
In reality, addiction is a complex disease, and quitting takes more than good intentions. In fact, because substances change the brain in ways that foster compulsive substance abuse, quitting is difficult, even for those who are ready to do so.
Everyone knows someone that has an addiction.
Mayvbe the health and wellbeing board will some day listen to the issues and take some decisive issues. A burning question is why does the County spend half of much on Drugs and Alcohol services than the City Council but has twice the popullation.”
by llamalamb
Monday, October 15 2012, 7:15AM
“The young probably can't afford to drink as much anymore. Anyway, they are probably using other (untaxed) stimulants that may not be as harmful!”
by brewer23
Saturday, October 13 2012, 12:26PM
“The 'baby boomer' age range is given as 55 to 74, covering twenty years. The youngest age range is from 16 to 24, covering 8 years. The middle age range covers 30 years. The oldest age range is open ended.How can you compare the number of patients with such disparate age ranges?
Also alcohol related health issues are cumulative, therefore you would expect there to be more problems with the older age groups. In fact it is more worrying that there are as many as there are in the youngest age group.
How can Professor Gilmore be so certain that the presentations he has stated are due entirely to alcohol? The risk of stroke and heart disease are associated with a variety of factors, not just alcohol consumption.
If a patient attends multiple times does each attendance appear in the figures or are they counted as once?”