The number of women drinking dangerous amounts of alcohol is rising sharply in the U.S.
That finding was among several conclusions in an analysis of death certificates published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Overall, the death rate tied to alcohol rose 51% from 1999 through 2017. Alcohol played a role in the deaths of 72,558 men in 2017, compared to 35,914 in 1999, a 35% increase. But the rate of deaths among women rose 85%. In sheer numbers, 18,072 women died from alcohol in 2017, said death certificates, compared with 7,662 in 1999.
A single dose of HPV vaccine may help
The HPV vaccine is highly effective against the cancer-causing types of human papillomavirus, but only half of teenagers and young adults have gotten all three of the recommended doses. Now a study of 1,620 women ages 18-26 suggests that one shot might be enough. The prevalence of HPV infection was much higher among the 62% who were unvaccinated, but there was no significant difference between rates in those with a single dose versus those who had more. The lead author, Ashish A. Deshmukh of the UTHealth School of Public Health in Houston, said that while the results were encouraging, three doses remain best.
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