Increase in Alcohol‐Related Hospitalizations in Finland 1969–1975

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Abstract
Summary: Alcohol consumption increased 2.2‐fold in Finland in 1968‐1974. Have alcohol‐related diseases become at the same time more common? This was studied by scrutinizing hospitalizations with alcoholism, alcohol psychosis, alcohol poisoning, liver cirrhosis and pancreatitis as the principal diagnosis. During the years 1969–1975, the male admission rate for alcohol psychosis increased 2.1‐fold, the rate for pancreatitis increased 2‐fold, that for alcoholism increased 1.7‐fold and that for liver cirrhosis increased 1.2‐fold. At the same time, the increases in female admission rates were 2.4‐fold for alcoholism, 2.3‐fold for alcohol psychosis, 1.9‐fold for alcohol poisoning and 1.4‐foldfor pancreatitis. The increase in admission rates seemed to be closely associated with the increase in alcohol consumption.