Risk of fatal alcohol poisoning by marital and occupational status

Mortality from alcohol poisoning was studied by age, sex, marital status and occupation in Finland in 1978-1982. Of 1204 fatal alcohol poisonings, 76 were due to methanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol, or combinations of these, the rest being due to ethanol. Males predominated: the percentage of females was 11%. Mortality was highest among persons aged 45-54 years. The risk of fatal poisoning differed by marital status and was inversely related to socio-economic level. Thus, among males aged 30-59 years, the age-adjusted risk of death among divorced pensioners was 15 times that of married men in upper-stratum occupations. If all males were at risk equal to that for married upper-stratum men, the annual number of fatal alcohol poisonings among males would decrease by 67%.