Rising alcohol-associated liver disease–related mortality rates in the United States from 1999 to 2022

We examined trends in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD)–related mortality in the United States from 1999 to 2022, focusing on sex, racial differences, and specific age groups. We analyzed age-adjusted mortality rates for ALD-related deaths using the CDC WONDER database and assessed differences between sex and racial groups. ALD-related mortality rates increased significantly between 1999 and 2022, with a more pronounced increase in females. White, Asian, Pacific Islander (AAPI), and American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) groups showed significant uptrends in ALD-related mortality, while African Americans (AA) experienced a nonsignificant decline. Age-specific trends revealed substantial increases in crude mortality rates across various age groups, with the largest increase observed in the younger age groups of 25–34 years, with an average percent change of 11.12% from 2006 to 2022 (average annual percent change of 7.1% for the study period), and 35–44 years, which showed an average percent change of 17.2% from 2018 to 2022 (average annual percent change of 3.8% for the study period). This study reveals increased ALD-related mortality rates in the United States from 1999 to 2022, with disparities among sex, racial groups, and younger age groups. Continued monitoring and evidence-based interventions are needed to address the growing burden of ALD-related mortality, particularly in the younger population.