SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Mortality Patterns Among Veterans With Alcohol Use Disorder: A National Cohort Study Using National Death Index Data

Mortality Patterns Among Veterans With Alcohol Use Disorder: A National Cohort Study Using National Death Index Data

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This national retrospective cohort study examined mortality patterns among Veterans hospitalized at 129 VHA hospitals from FY2016–FY2020, using ICD-10 codes to identify alcohol use disorder (AUD) and National Death Index data to determine causes of death through September 2024. Among 1,151,815 hospitalized Veterans, 411,187 died during follow-up, including 58,498 with an AUD diagnosis and 352,603 without AUD.<br /><br />Veterans who died with AUD were younger at study entry and at death, more likely to be Black, more likely to live in urban areas, and had slightly higher comorbidity scores than Veterans without AUD. Cause-of-death patterns also differed substantially. Compared with non-AUD Veterans, those with AUD were more likely to die from digestive system diseases and external causes of death, especially suicide. They were less likely to die from circulatory diseases, neoplasms, respiratory diseases, nervous system conditions, endocrine/metabolic disorders, and some other causes.<br /><br />A key finding was that suicide mortality was much higher in the AUD cohort, with an odds ratio of 2.9 (95% CI 2.72–3.12). The study also found that mortality risk in the AUD group was higher at younger ages.<br /><br />Overall, the findings show that hospitalized Veterans with AUD die earlier and from different causes than Veterans without AUD, particularly from gastrointestinal disease and suicide. These results highlight the need for earlier identification, targeted prevention, and integrated medical and behavioral health care for Veterans with AUD.

Asset Subtitle

James C. Willey

Meta Tag

Author List Amy O'Shea, Andrea Holcombe, Bjarni Haraldsson, Geirge Bailey, James C. Willey, Jeydith Gutierrez, Shivali Patel, Thad Abrams

Category Research

Concept Alcohol Use Disorder

Concept Age at Death

Concept Mortality

Concept Age

Concept Cause of Death

Distinguished Finalist

Presenter Organization University of Utah

Presenting Author James C. Willey

Track Outcomes Research

Keywords

Veterans

Alcohol Use Disorder

Mortality

Suicide

Cause of Death

Retrospective Cohort Study

VHA Hospitals

ICD-10 Codes

National Death Index

Gastrointestinal Disease

Alcohol Use Disorder

Age at Death

Mortality

Age

Cause of Death