Chronic liver disease: key points

Deaths

• There were 17.4 chronic liver disease deaths per 100,000 population in Scotland in 2022.
• In general, chronic liver disease death rates decreased from a peak in 2003 (25.4 per 100,000 population) until 2015 (15.0 per 100,000 population). Since then it has increased slightly up to 2022 (17.4 per 100,000 population).
• In 2022, male death rates for chronic liver disease were 1.7 higher than those for females (21.9 compared to 12.9 per 100,000 population). 

• In 2022, chronic liver disease death rates were 5.5 times higher in the most deprived areas (37.1 per 100,000 population) compared to the least deprived areas (6.7 per 100,000 population).

Hospital stay

• In 2022/23, there were 194.1 hospital stays per 100,000 population including a diagnosis of chronic liver disease, a decrease of 1.5% on the previous year.
• In 2022/23, male hospital stay rates (249.4 stays per 100,000 population) for chronic liver disease were 1.8 times higher than those reported for females (138.7 stays per 100,000 population).
• In 2022/23, chronic liver disease hospital stay rates were 4.1 times higher than the rates in 1982/83. Over this time period, the increase in the rate of hospital stays with a diagnosis of chronic liver disease was larger for males (4.5 times) than for females (3.4 times).
• In 2022/23, chronic liver disease hospital stay rates were 4.4 times higher in the most deprived areas (401.2 per 100,000 population) compared to the least deprived areas (91.6 per 100,000 population).