The cost of alcohol-attributable injuries and poisonings in Canada, 1992

Abstract

Alcohol-related injuries and poisonings are estimated to have caused 1.7% (3,359) of all deaths, 4.0% (123,119) of all corresponding potential years of life lost, 1.1% (38,687) of all hospitalizations, and 1.3% (533,895) of hospital days in Canada in 1992. The cost of these injuries is estimated to have been $3.9 billion, using a societal point of view and the human capital method of valuing forgone productivity. Leading causes of these human and economic costs are motor vehicle accidents, falls, self-inflicted injury and assault. Injuries and poisonings comprise a large portion of alcohol-related mortality (50% of deaths; 66% of potential years of life lost), morbidity (45% of hospitalizations) and economic costs (51%). Policy implications of these results are discussed.