title: Structure of deaths associated with heavy alcohol use and their contribution to general mortality in Northwest Slovakia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The article analyses death cases with detected blood alcohol level ≥2 g/kg. Their contribution to general mortality is calculated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Death cases from 2005 to 2012 with detected blood alcohol concentration ≥2 g/kg (975 cases) were selected from autopsy records at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Medical Expertises of the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin. The selected cases were analysed by age and causes of death (pathological, fatal alcohol intoxication, other external causes). Their contribution to general mortality was calculated using official demographic data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Deaths associated with heavy alcohol use comprised 2.2 % of general mortality in males and 0.3 % in females and showed declining trend. The proportion was highest in males aged up to 39 years (10.3 %). External causes dominated among death cases associated with heavy alcohol use (90.8 % in males, 83.7 % in females).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Deaths associated with heavy alcohol use significantly contribute to general mortality, particularly in younger males. In spite of the trend indicating slight improvement of the situation, this specific part of alcohol-related problems still constitutes a significant public health issue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia. tibor.baska@jfmed.uniba.sk.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baška
authors.affiliation: Exact Systems Slovakia Ltd., Žilina, Slovakia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kľučková
authors.affiliation: Forensic and Pathologic Anatomy Department, Health Care Surveillance Authority, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Komáreková
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Medical Expertises, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Ľ
authors.initials: Ľ
authors.lastname: Straka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000401:mortality*; D001344:Autopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D016208:Databases, Factual; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D012042:Registries; D018154:Slovakia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Causes of death; Heavy alcohol use; Mortality