Decline in Alcohol‐related In‐patient Care and Mortality in Stockholm County

Summary There has been an impressive decline in in‐patient care for liver cirrhosis and pancreatitis for both sexes and in alcohol psychosis, alcoholism, alcohol intoxication (summed) for men since the end of the seventies in metropolitan Stockholm. The mortality in liver cirrhosis and pancreatitis has also dropped, while there has been a levelling‐off for alcohol psychosis, alcoholism and alcohol intoxication. The decrease of the 1978‐79 level to the 1983–84 level was between 20% and 40% for most parameters. This reduction is partly explained by a 20% fall in the sale of alcohol between 1976 and 1984. The decrease is also probably due to an increase in the sale and use of disulfiram and calcium carbimide (more than 70% since the end of the seventies). Alcohol policy, attitudes, in–patient care resources and social data are also discussed.