Feature|Articles|October 1, 2026

After Decades of Damage and a Pandemic Spike, Where Does Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease Stand?

Fact checked by: Alex Hillenbrand

As drinking declines, Stevan Gonzalez, MD, Frances Lee, MD, and Brian Lee, MD, on the lingering burden of alcohol-associated liver disease.

Over the past two decades, alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) has trended upward, with a sharp increase during the COVID-19 pandemic and disproportionate mortality increases among women, young adults, and American Indian and Alaska Native people.¹

Related to this article