Women in their 30s are increasingly dependent on alcohol...11 repeat hospitalizations
Feb 11, 2025
|
Experts analyzed that social stress, an increase in single-person households, and changes in drinking culture are major factors in increasing alcohol dependence among women and young age groups.
Recently, Dasarang Central Hospital surveyed a total of 44,168 patients (33,054 males and 11,114 females) hospitalized from 2019 to 2024, confirming that the number of female patients in their 30s hospitalized for alcohol use disorder continues to increase.
As a result of the survey, the hospitalization rate of men in their 50s was the highest at 9,159, and the number of female patients in their 30s tended to increase every year. The readmission rate was also high.
Specifically, the number of female hospitalized patients in their 30s continued to increase to ▲ 141 in 2019 ▲ 195 in 2020 ▲ 218 in 2021 ▲ 225 in 2022 ▲ 236 in 2023. In particular, the number of people increased to 268 in 2024, an increase of 127 compared to 2019.
This clearly shows that alcohol use disorders, which were concentrated on middle-aged men in the past, are gradually spreading to young women.
Ahn Min-chul, director of the Department of Psychiatry at Dasarang Central Hospital, said "An alcohol use disorder is not just a habit, but a disease that requires medical treatment" In fact, we are experiencing an increase in the number of young female patients at the clinic."
In the case of one female patient, she visited the hospital 11 times due to symptoms of alcohol use disorder and repeated hospitalization and discharge, showing the difficulty of treatment.
From 2012 to 2021, the high-risk drinking rate among women increased from 7.9% to 8.9%, especially among women in their 20s and 30s, according to a 'Drinking In-depth Report' published by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Women's bodies have less ability to break down alcohol than men, so drinking the same amount of alcohol has a greater impact on their health," Director Ahn Min-chul said. "Although various problems such as liver disease, gastrointestinal disorders, hormonal imbalances, and dietary disorders can occur, they are often not recognized in the early stages of drinking."
They often miss the time to treat alcohol because they are not aware of alcohol problems at a young age. That's why experts stress that early intervention of treatment is important before alcohol dependence develops to a severe stage.
Director Ahn Min-chul advised, `It is most important to practice drinking alcohol, and it is also a good way to find healthy alternative activities such as light walks and meditation to relieve stress.' `If problematic drinking such as binge drinking is habitually repeated, it is also a good way to seek professional counseling.'
|
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
