Redefining “alcohol related deaths” will mislead public, say campaigners
BMJ 2017; 359 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j4982 (Published 27 October 2017) Cite this as: BMJ 2017;359:j4982- Nigel Hawkes
- London
UK campaigners against alcohol have attacked the Office for National Statistics for redefining deaths related to alcohol use in a way that will reduce the numbers and, they say, mislead the public.
An editorial in Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology says that the narrower definition adopted by ONS “could come at a steep cost to alcohol advocacy efforts and to the health and well-being of those affected by alcohol misuse and addiction in the UK.”1
The effect of the new definition will be to exclude from the count two conditions hitherto included: chronic unspecified hepatitis, which is coded K73 in ICD-10 (international classification of diseases, 10th …
Log in
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Subscribe from £173 *
Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.
* For online subscription
Access this article for 1 day for:
£38 / $45 / €42 (excludes VAT)
You can download a PDF version for your personal record.