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This story was originally published by Source NM
By Source NM Staff
Alcohol-related deaths in New Mexico declined for the second consecutive year, according to data released by the New Mexico Department of Health on Friday. The state has posted a 17.3% decline in the age-adjusted rate of 102.3 deaths per 100,000 in 2021 to 84.5 deaths per 100,000 in 2023, with McKinley County showing the largest decrease: 38% between 2021 and 2023.
Statewide, NMDOH reported 1,896 alcohol-related deaths, a decrease from 2,067 in 2022 and 2021’s peak number of 2,274, at which time the state’s rate was twice the national average. In 2023, males in New Mexico had an age-adjusted rate of alcohol-related death rate two and a half times higher than females, which declined between 2021 and 2023 16.1% and 20.6%, respectively.
“The decline highlights the positive impact of targeted interventions, community partnerships and policy initiatives designed to address alcohol misuse,” NMDOH Chief Medical Officer Miranda Durham said in a statement. “While this progress is encouraging, we must remain committed to expanding access to healthcare, including substance use treatment, and implementing community-based interventions that address prevention.
A news release from the health department noted the importance of sustained collaborative efforts, and cited in McKinley County “a collaboration among multiple stakeholders including the City of Gallup, McKinley County prevention programs and the Gallup Indian Medical Center” to provide case management and behavioral health services, among other resources.
Free self-help videos on alcohol and other substances can be found through the New Mexico Health Care Authority Behavioral Health Services Division’s New Mexico 5-Actions Program website.
