Aggregate-level time-series association between vodka consumption level and alcohol related mortality rate
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20882/adicciones.481Keywords:
alcohol consumption, alcohol-related mortality, time-series analysisAbstract
Background: The association between alcohol consumption level per capita and alcohol-related mortality rate is well documented. Considerably less is known concerning beveragespecific effect of alcohol on mortality rate. Aim: To estimate the beverage-specific effect of alcohol on alcohol-related mortality rate. Measurements: Trends in different types of alcohol-related mortality rate (due to liver cirrhosis, poisoning by alcohol, alcoholism and alcoholic psychosis) from 1970-1999 in Belarus were analyzed in relation to trends in the level of different types of alcoholic beverages consumption per capita applying time series analysis. Results: The analysis demonstrated a positive and statistically significant effect of changes in vodka per capita consumption on alcohol-related mortality rates. At the same time, hardly any correlation is observed between the total level of alcohol consumption and different types of alcohol-related mortality rates. Conclusion: The results of present study give support to the idea that alcohol-related mortality rate tends to be more responsive to changes in vodka consumption per capita than in total level of alcohol consumption. The main evidence for this conclusion is that a positive and significant association between alcohol-related mortality rates and level of vodka consumption per capita was revealed. The outcome of this study also suggests that alcohol poisoning mortality is a preferable marker of alcohol-related harm in the countries with prevailing intoxication-oriented drinking pattern.References
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