Alcohol misuse in Scotland--is there a growing health problem?

This paper reviews currently available data on alcohol related morbidity and mortality in Scotland. It confirms that admissions to psychiatric hospitals are unlikely to be a reliable indicator of trends in alcohol-related conditions because of the influence of local practice. Discharge rates for general (non-psychiatric) hospitals where an alcohol-related diagnosis has been made are reviewed and even using caution in interpreting the data, the results suggest that there is a worrying increase in rates of discharges with an alcohol-related diagnosis. Finally trends in deaths for both alcoholic liver disease (ICD 571.0-3) and unspecified chronic liver disease (ICD 571.4-9) are examined. It is concluded that other indicators of health related harm should be considered. These might include data from those presently seen in out-patient departments with an alcohol related condition as well as patients misusing alcohol who attend their General Practitioner (GP).