IRISH HOSPITALS SPENT more than €800 million on treating alcohol-related illnesses over a five year period, new research has found.

Alcohol-related cases also accounted for almost nine per cent – or almost 2.9 million – of all hospital bed days (overnights stays in hospital) between 2000 and 2004, reports Medical Independent. The cost of treating patients suffering from alcohol associated problems accounted for 15 per cent of the total health budget over the period studied.

Young to middle-aged men were the most likely to spend the night in hospital because of alcohol-related problems, with a total of 37 per cent of all male bed days wholly contributed to alcohol. In contrast, the proportion of women being kept overnight solely because of alcohol-related problems stood at 25 per cent, according to the study.

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Read more in Priscilla Lynch’s Medical Independent report >

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