For men, injuries accounted for 36 per cent of alcohol-related deaths. Photo: Andrew Quilty
Fifteen Australians die each day and 430 are hospitalised because of alcohol, according to a report on the national burden of booze.
The report, prepared by the Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, and funded by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education and VicHealth, shows a 62 per cent increase in the number of alcohol deaths, to 5554 in 2010, since the last study was conducted a decade ago.
The number of hospitalisations in 2010 attributed to alcohol was 157,132. The researchers analysed data on population, alcohol consumption and causes of death and hospitalisation to model the health impact of alcohol based on its contribution to various diseases and injury.
For men, injuries accounted for 36 per cent of alcohol-related deaths, while cancer and digestive diseases caused 25 and 16 per cent of deaths attributed to alcohol.