The number of alcohol-related deaths in East Ayrshire increased over the 12 months from 2020 to 2021.

The latest figures have been revealed in a recent report from the National Records of Scotland (NRS).

Scotland-wide, alcohol-related deaths increased by 55, to 1,245 - the highest figure since 2008.

East Ayrshire saw figures increase after a drop in 2020, going from 231 in 2019, to 23 in 2020, and 30 in the latest figures. 

Though 30 deaths is an increasing figure, pre-2019, the record number of mortalities was in 2007 when 38 deaths were recorded.

The Ayrshire and Arran health board as a whole also lies above the national average.

In 2021 in South and North Ayrshire, there were 24 and 37 alcohol-related deaths respectively.

Cumnock Chronicle: The average mortality rates per 100,000 population in Scottish council areas, between 2017-2021. Source: National Records of Scotland.The average mortality rates per 100,000 population in Scottish council areas, between 2017-2021. Source: National Records of Scotland.

The national average mortality rate (for alcohol-related deaths) per 100,000 population sat at 20.8 between the years 2017 and 2021. While East Ayrshire (19.3) and South Ayrshire (17.0) lay well below that figure, North Ayrshire (27.3) sits well above.

This gave the NHS Ayrshire and Arran health board an average of 21.5.

Looking at the national figures more generally, of those who died from alcohol-specific causes, two-thirds were male. The average age of deaths of those who died from these causes was 58.7 years for females and 59.7 years for males.

Julie Ramsay, vital events statistician at NRS, said: “Health inequalities are a feature of alcohol-specific deaths.

"Deaths attributed to alcohol were 5.6 times as likely in the most deprived areas of Scotland compared to the least deprived areas.

"This is more than the deprivation gap for all causes of death, which is 1.9.”