Trends in mortality due to gastrointestinal diseases attributed to alcohol use in Peru from 2003 to 2016

To assess and identify changes in the temporal trend in mortality from alcohol-attributable gastrointestinal diseases and their disease burden based on years of life lost (YLL) in Peru.

An ecological study of the death records of the Ministry of Health of Peru was conducted from 2003-2016. A gastrointestinal death attributable to alcohol was considered if the basic, intermediate, or final cause of death included ICD-10 codes: K70, K700-4, K709, K292, K852, and K860. Crude and age-adjusted mortality rates were calculated for the general population aged 15 or older and by sex, and YLL. Joinpoint regression analysis was performed to evaluate trends in mortality.

There were 11 148 deaths by alcohol-attributable gastrointestinal diseases, being more frequent in males (74.89%), in adults aged 45 years and above (83.67%), living in urban area (69.87%) and the Andes region (60.0%), and in subjects with liver disease (85.98%). Adjusted mortality rates varied from 6.21 (95% CI: 5.78-6.63) in 2003 to 3.95 (95% CI: 3.67-4.22) in 2016. The trend of mortality decreased in the general population (APC: -6.17, 95% CI: -9.9 to -2.2, p=0.007) during the period 2008-2016. Deaths from the causes studied generated 224 545 YLL.

A declining trend was found in gastrointestinal deaths attributable to alcohol in the period 2008-2016. The highest mortality occurred in males, individuals aged 45 years and above, living in urban areas and the Andes region.