In 2015-2019, excessive alcohol use was responsible for more than 140,000 deaths in the U.S. yearly, or more than 380 deaths per day39. In Kentucky, men with alcohol-related deaths were nearly four times more likely to have chronic alcohol abuse than women40.
According to the BRFSS survey results reported in the 2022 County Health Rankings, Carroll County has a slightly lower average number of adults reporting binge or heavy drinking in the last 30 days than the state overall41. It should be noted that data prior to 2016 is not available for Carroll County.
Excessive alcohol use includes binge drinking, heavy drinking, alcohol use by persons under 21 years, and alcohol use by pregnant women.
Binge drinking is defined as 5 or more drinks consumed on a single occasion for men and 4 or more for women, generally within 2 hours.
Heavy drinking is defined as men who consume 15 drinks or more per week and women who consume 8 drinks or more per week.
Excessive or heavy drinking is associated with short and long-term health effects including injuries such as motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings, and burns; violence including homicide, suicide, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence; alcohol poisoning, risky sexual behaviors including unprotected sex with multiple partners which can result in unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases including HIV; and miscarriage or stillbirth, or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders among pregnant women.
Long-term health risks include high blood pressure; heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems; cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon; learning and memory problems including dementia; mental health problems including depression and anxiety; social problems including lost productivity, family problems, and unemployment; alcohol dependence or alcoholism.