Alcoholic females. II. Causes of death with reference to sex difference

The aim of this study has been to explore and compare the mortality of 100 female and 100 male alcoholics, admitted to a department of alcoholic diseases in 1963-69. The patients were early cases and mortality was studied during an observation period of 6-12 years. A total of 18 women and 16 men died. As compared with the general population, mortality was 5.6 and 3.0 times higher than expected for the women and men, respectively. Among the women a significant excess mortality was found for accidents, suicides, diseases of the respiratory system, and especially cirrhosis of the liver. Mortality among the men was significantly higher than expected due to suicides, diseases of the circulatory system, neoplasms, chronic alcoholism, and acute alcohol poisoning. The excess mortality from suicides found for both sexes was highest in the female group. Despite the hitherto rather small number of deaths in the two groups, the high frequency of cirrhosis of the liver among the women is striking.