Alcohol Consumption In Denmark Research Articles

Cost-Effectiveness of Preventive Interventions to Reduce Alcohol Consumption in Denmark

IntroductionExcessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of many diseases and injuries, and the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study estimated that 6% of the burden of disease in Denmark is due to alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption thus places a considerable economic burden on society.MethodsWe analysed the cost-effectiveness of six interventions aimed at preventing alcohol abuse in the adult Danish population: 30% increased taxation, increased minimum legal drinking age, advertisement bans, limited hours of retail sales, and brief and longer individual interventions. Potential health effects were evaluated as changes in incidence, prevalence and mortality of alcohol-related diseases and injuries. Net costs were calculated as the sum of intervention costs and cost offsets related to treatment of alcohol-related outcomes, based on health care costs from Danish national registers. Cost-effectiveness was evaluated by calculating incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for each intervention. We also created an intervention pathway to determine the optimal sequence of interventions and their combined effects.ResultsThree of the analysed interventions (advertising bans, limited hours of retail sales and taxation) were cost-saving, and the remaining three interventions were all cost-effective. Net costs varied from € -17 million per year for advertisement ban to € 8 million for longer individual intervention. Effectiveness varied from 115 disability-adjusted life years (DALY) per year for minimum legal drinking age to 2,900 DALY for advertisement ban. The total annual effect if all interventions were implemented would be 7,300 DALY, with a net cost of € -30 million.ConclusionOur results show that interventions targeting the whole population were more effective than individual-focused interventions. A ban on alcohol advertising, limited hours of retail sale and increased taxation had the highest probability of being cost-saving and should thus be first priority for implementation.

Alcohol-attributable and alcohol-preventable mortality in Denmark: an analysis of which intake levels contribute most to alcohol’s harmful and beneficial effects

The aim of the study was to quantify alcohol-attributable and -preventable mortality, totally and stratified on alcohol consumption in Denmark 2010, and to estimate alcohol-related mortality assuming different scenarios of changes in alcohol distribution in the population. We estimated alcohol-attributable and -preventable fractions based on relative risks of conditions causally associated with alcohol from meta-analyses and information on alcohol consumption in Denmark obtained from 14,458 participants in the Danish National Health Survey 2010 and corrected for adult per capita consumption. Cause-specific mortality data were obtained from the Danish Register of Causes of Death. In total, 1,373 deaths among women (5.0% of all deaths) and 2,522 deaths among men (9.5% of all deaths) were attributable to alcohol, while an estimated number of 765 (2.8%) and 583 (2.2%) deaths were prevented by alcohol. Of the alcohol-attributable deaths, 73 and 81% occurred within the high alcohol consumption group (>14/21 drinks/week for women/men). A reduction of 50% in the alcohol consumption was associated with a decrease of 1,406 partly alcohol-attributable deaths (46%) and 37 alcohol-preventable deaths (3%). Total compliance with sensible drinking guidelines with a low risk limit (<7/14 drinks/week) and a high risk limit (<14/21 drinks/week) was associated with a reduction of 2,380 and 1,977 alcohol-attributable deaths, respectively. In summary, 5.0% of deaths among women and 9.5 % of deaths among men were attributable to alcohol in Denmark 2010. The minority of Danish women and men had high alcohol consumption (16 and 26%). However, the majority of all alcohol-attributable deaths among women and men were caused by high consumption (73 and 81%).

Alcohol in Greenland 1951–2010: consumption, mortality, prices

Background. Fluctuations in alcohol consumption in Greenland have been extreme since alcohol became available to the Greenland Inuit in the 1950s, increasing from low levels in the 1950s to very high levels in the 1980s – about twice as high as alcohol consumption in Denmark. Since then, consumption has declined, and current consumption is slightly below alcohol consumption in Denmark, while alcohol prices are far above Danish prices.Objective. Description of historical trends and possible causal connections of alcohol prices, alcohol consumption and alcohol-related mortality in Greenland 1951–2010 as a background for the evaluation of the impact of various types of policy.Design. Time series for Greenland 1951–2010 for alcohol prices, consumption and mortality are compiled, and variation and correlations are discussed in relation to various policies aimed at limiting alcohol consumption. Corresponding time series for Denmark 1906–2010 are presented for comparison.Results. The trends in alcohol prices and consumption followed each other rather closely until the 1990s in Greenland and the 1980s in Denmark. At this time, consumption stabilised while prices decreased further, but the effect of prices upon consumption is strong, also in recent years. A trend in Greenlandic mortality similar to consumption is discernible, but not significant. Among alcohol-related deaths cirrhosis of the liver is less prevalent whilst accidents are more prevalent than in Denmark.Conclusions. The effect of alcohol excise taxes and rationing upon consumption is evident. The stabilisation and subsequent decline in consumption since the mid-1990s, while alcohol prices decreased persistently, does not preclude continued effects of prices. On the contrary, price effects have been neutralised by other stronger causes. Whether these are government anti-alcohol campaigns or a cultural change is not clear.

Incidence and mortality of alcoholic hepatitis in Denmark 1999–2008: A nationwide population based cohort study

Alcoholic hepatitis is an acute life- and health-threatening disease that may be increasingly frequent. However, accurate and representative data on time trends in its incidence and prognosis are not available. This study aims to provide nationwide population-based estimates of alcoholic hepatitis incidence and mortality in Denmark, 1999-2008. We identified, from the Danish National Registry of Patients, all patients with a first-time discharge diagnosis of alcoholic hepatitis from 1999 and through 2008. We also ascertained whether patients had cirrhosis. We computed the annual incidence rates as well as 28-, 84-day, 5-year, and 10-year mortality rates. We found 1951 patients with alcoholic hepatitis, 63% men. During the study decade, the annual incidence rate in the Danish population rose from 37 to 46 per 10(6) for men and from 24 to 34 per 10(6) for women. The steepest increase was observed among middle-aged women. The 28-day mortality rate rose from 12% to 15%, and the 84-day mortality rate rose from 14% to 24%, similarly for men and women. The increase in short-term mortality was attributable to increasing patient age and prevalence of cirrhosis. The 5-year mortality was 56% overall, 47% without cirrhosis, and 69% with cirrhosis. The incidence of alcoholic hepatitis in Denmark has increased during the recent decade. The patients are older at diagnosis and more have cirrhosis, resulting in worse short-term prognosis. The long-term prognosis is grave, especially for patients with cirrhosis. The increase in incidence mirrors changes in alcohol consumption in Denmark.

Changes in Alcohol Consumption in Denmark after the Tax Reduction on Spirits

Aims: This paper examines changes in alcohol consumption in Denmark between 2003 and 2006 after the excise tax on spirits in Denmark was lowered by 45% on October 1, 2003 and travelers’ allowances for the import of alcohol were increased on January 1, 2004. Methods: Cross-sectional and panel data from Denmark from 2003 to 2006 were analyzed. Samples were collected by telephone interviews using random digit dialing. Results: Panel data for Denmark revealed that alcohol consumption remained relatively stable. Similar results were found in the Danish cross-sectional data. It appears that ‘substitution’ rather than increased importation occurred. Conclusion: We found no evidence to support earlier research stating that decreased prices and increased availability is related to higher alcohol consumption. This could be partly because (1) Denmark has reached a ‘saturation’ level of consumption over the past 30 years and (2) the survey mode of data collection did not capture specific subpopulations who might have increased their consumption. It may be necessary to examine other indicators of alcohol use or alcohol-related harm in order to fully assess the consequences of such changes in alcohol availability.

Alcohol in Danish and German Educational Print-Media (1990-1998): A Comparison

Denmark and Germany have similarities regarding their drinking patterns and alcohol policies, although they differ in their way of health promotion concerning alcohol consumption: the governmental health service in Denmark tending more towards a moderate consumption, and Germany tending rather towards near-total abstinence. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the influence of particular interest groups on alcohol policy by analyses of educational print-media about alcohol. The results show that German educational print-media denounce alcohol as a dangerous drug, while the Danish health service balances the positive effects of alcohol against its negative ones. Alcohol-related problems are related to harmful alcohol consumption in Denmark, and to any alcohol consumption in Germany. The ideological background for these strategies is connected to medical circles in Denmark, and temperance groups in Germany. In Germany, the strong position of the temperance groups supported by the then ruling conservative party, and the national virtuous attitude to temperance, most likely account for the more "restrictive" German approach.

Alcohol in Danish and German Educational Print-Media (1990-1998): A Comparison

Denmark and Germany have similarities regarding their drinking patterns and alcohol policies, although they differ in their way of health promotion concerning alcohol consumption: the governmental health service in Denmark tending more towards a moderate consumption, and Germany tending rather towards near-total abstinence. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the influence of particular interest groups on alcohol policy by analyses of educational print-media about alcohol. The results show that German educational print-media denounce alcohol as a dangerous drug, while the Danish health service balances the positive effects of alcohol against its negative ones. Alcohol-related problems are related to harmful alcohol consumption in Denmark, and to any alcohol consumption in Germany. The ideological background for these strategies is connected to medical circles in Denmark, and temperance groups in Germany. In Germany, the strong position of the temperance groups supported by the then ruling conservative party, and the national virtuous attitude to temperance, most likely account for the more "restrictive" German approach.

Fra Sædvane Til Refleksion Om Ændringer i Den Uformelle Regulering af Alkoholforbruget

Has the liberalization of the formal control of alcohol consumption in Denmark led to a “liberalization” of the informal, social regulation of the drinking habits as well? A comparison between two surveys, made among men between ages 30 to 44 years old in Copenhagen in 1964 and 1993, shows that new forms of alcohol regulation have developed as the old control measures have been phased out. Social control, which earlier was implicitly tied to social custom, has become more explicit. Self-regulation is guided by a more differentiated individual awareness of problems. Women's regulation of men's alcohol use has increased and includes also lower consumption levels. In the workplace, regulations have become formalized within a system of labour agreements. Additionally the drinking habits at work are directed more by the individual than by custom.

Changing incidence of cancer of the tongue, oral cavity, and pharynx in Denmark.

The present paper describes the trend in incidence of oral and pharyngeal carcinomas in Denmark in the period 1943-1985, and provides an illustration of the effect of birth cohort on the overall trend. The results are discussed in relation to changes in consumption of alcoholic beverages and tobacco, and to changes in dietary habits in this century. The incidence of these cancers appear to be increasing rapidly in response to the increasing level of alcohol consumption in Denmark.