Salem has been ranked 9th in the US for alcohol-induced deaths in older adults, according to a recent study. The study found that six Oregon metro areas have some of the highest rates of alcohol-induced death in the nation for people 65 and older.
Alcohol-Induced Deaths in Oregon
Roseburg, Eugene-Springfield, and Medford are among the top five nationally, with Salem ranking 9th, Bend 11th, and the Portland metro area 15th. The report, based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Census Bureau, highlights a chronic Oregon public health problem.
Oregonians die from alcohol at a rate 83% higher than the national average, according to CDC data. The new report on the metro areas with the highest alcohol-induced death rates was released in early June by Woodlands Grove Recovery Campus, a substance abuse and mental health treatment center in Ohio.
CEO John Daily says his company is treating more older patients for alcohol issues than ever before. One reason for the increase seen in Oregon and elsewhere, he believes, is the heightened social isolation in rural areas caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
Alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable death in Oregon, according to deputy state epidemiologist Tom Jeanne, trailing only tobacco and obesity. Older people are at higher risk of alcohol-induced death because they are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases treated with medications that can interact with alcohol in harmful ways, Jeanne said.
Oregon’s problem with alcohol can also be attributed in part to the lack of a general sales tax and low specialized taxes on beer and wine, which make them far cheaper in Oregon than in other states, Jeanne said. Higher prices are one of the best ways to discourage excessive drinking, he said.
To combat this public health problem, the Oregon Health Authority launched a prevention campaign in 2022. “Rethink the Drink” encourages Oregonians to be wary of even seemingly modest drinking.
Original reporting: Salem Reporter — read the source article.
