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Published: 31 October 2006

Leading cause of death for working-age men is alcohol-related in 2005

In 2005 alcohol-related causes, i.e. alcohol-related diseases and alcohol poisonings became the leading cause of death among working-age men. Ischaemic heart disease had been the leading cause of death for decades. Nearly as many working-age women died of alcohol-related causes as of breast cancer. Alcohol-related mortality has increased at an especially fast rate in 2004 and 2005. This data is included in the Statistics Finland statistics on causes of death.

In 2005 about 2,000 persons died of alcohol-related causes. Mortality associated with diseases caused by long-term alcohol use continued to increase in 2005. The number of deaths due to alcohol poisoning was slightly lower than in the year before.

Nearly one half of all alcohol-related deaths were among men aged 45-59, but alcohol-related deaths are on the increase also among older age groups. Alcohol-related death is relatively rare among men aged over 75 or under 35.

Alcohol use increases the risk of accidents and is often a contributing factor in suicides. Especially the number of accidental falls among working-age men has increased over the past few years. In 2005 the figure stood at 268. Nearly half of the victims were drunk when the accidental fall occurred. A scant third of suicides were committed while drunk.

Leading causes of death ages 15-64 by sex, 2005

Men Women
Rank Cause of death Number of deaths % Rank Cause of death Number of deaths %
1. Alcohol-related deaths 1 309 17.1 1. Breast cancer 355 10.7
2. Ischaemic heart disease 1 268 16.6 2. Alcohol-related deaths 354 10.6
3. Accidents of which
- land traffic
- falls
980
183
268
12.8
2.4
3.5
3. Accidents of which
- land traffic
- falls
250
52
48
7.5
1.6
1.4
4. Suicides 592 7.7 4. Suicides 224 6.7
5. Lung cancer 405 5.3 5. Ischaemic heart disease 190 5.7
6. Cerebrovascular disease 299 3.9 6. Cerebrovascular disease 169 5.1
  Other causes 2 791 36.5   Other causes 1 788 53.7
Total deaths at ages 15-64, men 7 644 100.0 Total deaths at ages 15-64, women 3 330 100.0

Source: Causes of Death 2005. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Ms Helena Korpi +358 9 1734 3605, Mr Mauno Huohvanainen +358 9 1734 3296
kuolemansyyt.tilasto@tilastokeskus.fi

Director in charge: Ms Riitta Harala

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Last updated 31.10.2006

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Causes of death [e-publication].
ISSN=1799-5078. 2005. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 29.3.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/ksyyt/2005/ksyyt_2005_2006-10-31_tie_001_en.html