June 14, 2025 | Health | SheLit Desk
A recent U.S.-based study has revealed a deeply concerning trend: alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) deaths are rising more rapidly among women than men — signaling an urgent need for gender-specific awareness and interventions in public health.
Sharp Increase Among Women and Young Adults
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), tracked liver-related mortality data from 2012 to 2022. While alcohol-related liver deaths rose across all demographics, the rate of increase was significantly higher among women — a population traditionally less affected by liver disease than men.
Between 2019 and 2022 alone, women experienced a 35% increase in alcohol-related liver deaths, compared to a 29% increase among men. Additionally, young adults aged 25 to 44 showed the steepest rise — pointing to shifting drinking patterns and growing stressors post-pandemic.
Why Are Women More Affected?
Health experts suggest several biological and social factors at play:
- Biological Susceptibility: Women metabolize alcohol differently, making their livers more vulnerable even at lower consumption levels.
- Increased Alcohol Use Post-COVID: Stress, isolation, and caregiving pressures during the pandemic disproportionately impacted women, driving up alcohol use.
- Delayed Diagnosis: Women are less likely to be screened early for liver damage, as medical assumptions still favor male-centric risk profiles.
Dr. Jessica Mellinger, a hepatologist and one of the study’s co-authors, noted:
“We’ve long known that alcohol affects women’s livers more severely, but now we are seeing the fatal consequences catch up at a population level.”
Lack of Awareness & Care Access
The study highlights a major gap: lack of gender-sensitive addiction care and public health messaging. Women facing alcohol misuse often encounter greater stigma, preventing them from seeking early help. Moreover, primary healthcare settings rarely conduct routine liver function checks for women without evident symptoms.
A Gendered Public Health Emergency
For SheLit, this research reinforces a critical point: women’s health must be understood through a gender lens. What may appear as lifestyle issues or “equal habits” between men and women can have vastly unequal health consequences.
What Can Be Done?
1.Awareness Campaigns: Culturally-sensitive education about alcohol’s effects on women’s bodies.
2.Routine Liver Screening: Especially for women with a history of alcohol use or post-pandemic stress.
3.Gender-Specific Rehab Services: Accessible, non-stigmatizing mental health and addiction support.
4.Policy Changes: Push for insurance coverage, state-supported de-addiction programs for women.
SheLit Speaks
This data is not just a statistic — it’s a wake-up call. As women’s roles evolve and burdens intensify, health systems must catch up with reality, offering equal attention, care, and compassion.
Let’s break the silence. Let’s protect our health. Let’s empower through awareness.