Annual Alcohol Consumption Research Articles

Who are Australia’s young heavy drinkers? a cross-sectional population study

ObjectiveIn light of the recent declines in youth drinking, the socio-demographic correlates of (1) annual total alcohol consumption (volume) and (2) monthly single occasion risky drinking among underage young people (14–17-year-olds) and young adults (18–24-year-olds) were examined. MethodsCross-sectional data were drawn from the 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (n=1,547). Multivariable negative binomial regression analyses identified the socio-demographic correlates of total annual volume and monthly risky drinking. ResultsThose who spoke English as first language reported higher total volume and rates of monthly risky drinking. Not being in school predicted total volume for 14–17-year-olds, as did having a certificate/diploma for 18–24-year-olds. Living in affluent areas predicted a greater total volume for both age groups, and risky drinking for 18–24-year-olds. Young men in regional areas and working in labour and logistics reported higher total volume than young women in the same groups. ConclusionsThere are important differences among young heavy drinkers related to gender, cultural background, socio-economic status, education, regionality and work industry. Implications for public healthPrevention strategies that are sensitively tailored towards high risk groups (e.g. young men in regional areas and working in trade and logistics) may be of public health benefit.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Epidemic on Hospital Admissions for Alcohol-related Liver Disease and Pancreatitis in Western Sydney.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Epidemic on Hospital Admissions for Alcohol-related Liver Disease and Pancreatitis in Western Sydney.

Evaluation of Epigenetic Age Acceleration Scores and Their Associations with CVD-Related Phenotypes in a Population Cohort.

We evaluated associations between nine epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) scores and 18 cardiometabolic phenotypes using an Eastern European ageing population cohort richly annotated for a diverse set of phenotypes (subsample, n = 306; aged 45-69 years). This was implemented by splitting the data into groups with positive and negative EAAs. We observed strong association between all EAA scores and sex, suggesting that any analysis of EAAs should be adjusted by sex. We found that some sex-adjusted EAA scores were significantly associated with several phenotypes such as blood levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase and low-density lipoprotein, smoking status, annual alcohol consumption, multiple carotid plaques, and incident coronary heart disease status (not necessarily the same phenotypes for different EAAs). We demonstrated that even after adjusting EAAs for sex, EAA-phenotype associations remain sex-specific, which should be taken into account in any downstream analysis involving EAAs. The obtained results suggest that in some EAA-phenotype associations, negative EAA scores (i.e., epigenetic age below chronological age) indicated more harmful phenotype values, which is counterintuitive. Among all considered epigenetic clocks, GrimAge was significantly associated with more phenotypes than any other EA scores in this Russian sample.

Global evidence of environmental and lifestyle effects on medical expenditures across 154 countries

Increases of health care expenditures (HCEs) challenge the financial capacity of governments and bring into question the quality of health care services in each country. It is known that modifiable risk factors (e.g. alcohol consumption) and certain environmental variables allow HCEs to be modeled without impairing the quality of healthcare services. We provide a worldwide statistical analysis of how HCEs can be reduced and with what statistical power/probability. The design was retrospective and was based on linear and nonlinear multiple regression models. The HCEs, alcohol consumption, renewable energy consumption, suicide rate, economic reversal of the environmental damage caused by CO2 emissions (ERCDE) and sales-focused jobs (SJs) were measured. The type of government and the most searched Twitter worldwide topics were also analyzed. A total of 154 countries (n) participated. Reducing alcohol consumption, SJs and ERCDE predicts linear reductions of 33.1% of HCEs. Annual alcohol consumption between 4 and 5 L per person was found to have no negative impact on HCEs. Beyond this tipping point, alcohol consumption did predict significant increases in HCEs. It was also found that renewable energy consumption exponentially explained 35.2% of the reductions in HCEs. HCEs can be reduced in each country by controlling the consumption of renewable energies, the ERCDE, and the SJs. Specifically, by controlling alcohol consumption, SJs, and ERCDE the economic reduction in HCEs could be reduced annually by as much as $228.466 per person. We offer tipping points that governments can use to make effective health policy decisions that include sustainable development goals.

Association between BMI and periodontitis in women living with or at risk for HIV.

Currently, there is no data available assessing the association between body mass index (BMI) and periodontitis among women living with HIV (WLWH). This study aims to investigate this association among WLWH and women at risk for HIV (WRH) in the United States. Data from 351 WLWH and 52 WRH participants from the Women's Interagency HIV Study having pocket depths and clinical periodontal attachment loss assessments in 2003-2004 were included. Multinomial logistic regression analyses in the full sample assessed the relationship between BMI (underweight/normal, overweight, or obese) and periodontitis by severity (mild, moderate, severe), adjusting for study sites, age, education, annual household income, smoking, alcohol consumption, and diabetes. Overall, 75.2% women (76.0% WLWH; 69.0% WRH) had periodontitis. Moreover, 75.0% obese and 75.3% overweight women were affected by periodontitis. In the full sample, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of having mild, moderate, and severe periodontitis in obese women were: 1.14 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51-2.52), 1.02 (95% CI: 0.46-2.29), and 0.24 (95% CI: 0.06-1.07), respectively, and in overweight women: 0.70 (95% CI: 0.31-1.58), 0.85 (95% CI: 0.38-1.90), and 0.31 (95% CI: 0.08-1.15), respectively. Even with high prevalence of periodontitis among women with or without HIV infection in this cohort, this study does not provide evidence of an association between BMI and periodontitis.

Alcohol Drinking Patterns and Contributing Factors among Medical Students, a Systematic Review

Background:The use of Alcohol has become an important public health concern with a variety of negative consequences, it is important to understand the variables that may be risk factors for this phenomenon. Further, university students represent a group of individuals who have unique drinking patterns and different risk factors and concerns related to problematic drinking than the population in general. Legal substances like alcohol accounts for the vast majority of negative medical, economic, and social impact. Although alcohol use occurs across many age groups, young adults aged 18–24 years show the highest rates of alcohol use and have the greatest percentage of problems drinkers (Kandel & Logan, 1984). Namibia is ranked fifth on the African continent in terms of annual alcohol consumption with the average Namibian consuming 9.62 liters of alcohol per year (WHO 2011). This review addresses problematic drinking and the variables associated with it for medical students. The purpose of this systematic review is to compare the perception and attitude of alcohol consumption among medical students and weigh the factors associated with drinking habits. Methods:A qualitative and quantitative systematic review of article from multiple search engines. Five articles were within the inclusion criteria thus appraised and reviewed for this paper. The common study method used was cross sectional, with varying sample sizes. Commonly, the use of self-assessment questionnaires and objective AUDIT C and CAGE score evaluation were used frequently between these articles. Results:The review showed that there are multiple factors that influence the use of alcohol among medical students. Personal factors such as a new found sense of independence, peer pressure, inability to handle academic stressors. Socio-economic factors include high tolerance of alcohol use in the communities and monthly expenses. It was also noted that the use of alcohol in medical students is higher than the average university student. A highlighted noted is that the use of alcohol is much higher among male than female medical students. Conclusion:Findings suggested that the perceptions of alcohol use is depended on multiple factors majority being academic perceived stress. It is also noted that continuation of these maladaptive coping mechanisms may lead to dysfunction in the future. The findings of systematic review are limited by the number of articles appraised and reliant on the information provided by the authors.

Association of Cigarette Smoking with Hyperlipidemia in Male Individuals

Cigarette smoking is one of the major modifiable and environmental risk factors which can alter the lipid profile that leads to the progression of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the current study is to explore the association of cigarette smoking with Hyperlipidemia in male individuals. A cross-sectional study was carried out from March 2017 to Au-gust 2018 in Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China. A total of 1561 male individuals were enrolled in the study with a mean age (years) of 55.33 ± 14.41. We collected data on demographic, anthropometric and lifestyle indices. Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TGL), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were determined by the enzymatic colorimetric method. The mean level of serum TC, TG, and HDL-C were 4.85 ± 0.91, 1.69 ± 1.45 and 1.27 ± 0.32 mmol/L respectively. We found that age, body mass index, pack-years, marital status, annual household income, alcohol consumption, smoking status, education level, and occupational status have significant association with Hyperlipidemia. Adjusted multiple logistic regressions showed that in old age, smoking behavior can significantly increase the risk of Hyperlipidemia. With an increase in pack-years, a significant increase is found only in TC while decreasing trend noticed in HDL-C level. Current smokers showed a significant increase in the risk of Hyperlipidemia compared to those who never smoked while smoking cessation decreases the risk of Hyperlipidemia. This study concluded that cigarette smoking along with increased age and pack-years can significantly increase the risk of Hyperlipidemia that further leads to heart diseases.

PCN186 A Comparison of Breast Cancer Burden in 120 Countries (2008-2017)

Breast cancer is the cancer with the highest incidence in women in many countries. The purpose of this study is to explore the influencing factors of various national levels that affect the burden of breast cancer disease in countries around the world. We also generate strategic policy recommendations based on the research results to reduce the burden of breast cancer disease in the country. This study used the incidence and mortality of breast cancer in women as a measure of disease burden. The data comes from the statistical data of the World Health Organization's Global Disease Burden system from 2008 to 2017. We used the generalized linear mixed model statistical method to analyze the four types of country-level factors that affect women’s breast cancer incidence and mortality. The study found that, after adjusting for other factors, the country’s mean of total cholesterol, average body mass index, average annual alcohol consumption, smoking percentage, average life expectancy, years of education, GDP per capita, and total female population and the annual average temperature were significantly positively correlated with the incidence of breast cancer in women. The mean systolic blood pressure and the prevalence of high fasting blood glucose were significantly negatively correlated with the incidence of breast cancer in women. In terms of mortality, the country’s average systolic blood pressure, average total cholesterol, average annual alcohol consumption, smoking percentage, average remaining life, years of education, and average annual temperature are significantly positively correlated with the incidence of female breast cancer. This study found that the higher the average total cholesterol, the higher the average annual alcohol consumption, the higher the smoking rate, and the higher the average temperature, the higher the incidence and mortality of breast cancer among women.

Examining Australia's heaviest drinkers

ObjectiveThis study examined the distribution of alcohol consumption in Australia, identifying the heaviest drinking 10% of the population and examining their sociodemographic characteristics and their alcohol consumption and purchasing practices. MethodsData came from the 2016 National Drug Strategy Household Survey and the 2013 International Alcohol Control Study. The heaviest drinking 10% of the population identified based on estimates of annual alcohol consumption. Logistic regression was then used to assess the factors that distinguished these heaviest drinkers from the rest of the drinking population. ResultsThe heaviest drinking 10% of the population consumed 54.4% of all alcohol consumed. These heavy drinkers were more likely to be men and to live in regional and remote areas. They were more likely to drink cask wine and full‐strength beer and to purchase cheaper alcohol than other drinkers. ConclusionsAustralian alcohol consumption is heavily skewed. Alcohol consumption practices appear to differentiate the heaviest drinkers from others more clearly than sociodemographic factors. Implications for public healthPublic health interventions that reduce drinking among the heaviest 10% of drinkers in Australia have the potential to markedly reduce per‐capita consumption and reduce alcohol‐related harm. Interventions focused on cheap alcohol may be effective with these drinkers.

The impact of alcohol consumption on homicide: A time-series analysis of three Nordic countries

The article explores the statistical association between annual alcohol consumption and homicide mortality in Finland, Sweden and Norway from the early 19th century to 2013. The results show statistically significant impacts on overall and male homicide mortality in Finland and on male homicide mortality in Sweden. In Norway, we found no significant impacts. The results suggest that changes in the level of alcohol consumption have had a stronger impact on homicide rates in Finland, characterized by a heavier drinking culture, than in Norway or Sweden. The strength of the association between alcohol consumption and homicide levels seems also to vary over time and to be conditioned by economic and socio-political factors.

Abstract 5259: Cancer incidence in relation to body fatness in China: Evidence from a large population-based cohort study

Abstract Body fatness has been associated with several cancers in developed countries, but little is known in China. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between body fatness and cancer incidence, with different anthropometric measures, and compare their predicting values. Between June 2004 and July 2008, the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) study recruited 0.5 million adults aged 30-79 years from 10 geographically diverse areas across China, and followed up until December, 2015. Body-mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were measured at baseline. Cox regression yielded adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) associating incidence of all cancers and 15 site-specific cancers with different anthropometric measures, adjusting for education level, marital status, annual household income, alcohol consumption, smoking status and physical activity, and stratifying by age at risk, sex, and region. We compared the ability of cancer risk prediction between different anthropometric measures through a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Among 508,362 participants, the overall mean (SD) BMI was 23.66 (3.38) kg/m2, 31.11% of men and 34.24% of women were overweight or obesity (BMI≥25.0kg/m2), and 4.41% of men and 4.26% of women were underweight (BMI<18.5kg/m2). 21,474 incident cancers were identified over an average of 8.94 years of follow-up. Each 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI was associated with an increased risk of endometrial (HR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.72 to 2.35), postmenopausal breast (HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.18 to 1.40), colorectal (HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.25) and cervical (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.03 to1.29) cancer, whereas it was associated with a reduced risk of oesophageal (HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.79), lung (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.74 to 0.82), liver (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.79 to 0.92), and stomach (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.94) cancer. BMI was the best risk prediction measure for postmenopausal breast and endometrial cancer, whereas BFP were the best for oesophageal, lung, liver and stomach cancer, and WC and WHR did for colorectal cancer. BMI is related to the incidence of several cancers in China. Obesity and overweight, as well as underweight, contribute to the cancer incidence in China. Other anthropometric measures may add information for cancer-specific risk prediction. Citation Format: Lu Wang, Guangfu Jin, Canqing Yu, Jun Lv, Yu Guo, Zheng Bian, Ling Yang, Yiping Chen, Zhibin Hu, Feng Chen, Zhengming Chen, Liming Li, Hongbing Shen. Cancer incidence in relation to body fatness in China: Evidence from a large population-based cohort study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5259.

Alcohol Consumption and Bone Mineral Density in People with HIV and Substance Use Disorder: A Prospective Cohort Study.

People living with HIV (PLWH) commonly have low bone mineral density (BMD) (low bone mass and osteoporosis) and are at high risk for fractures. Fractures and low BMD are significant causes of morbidity and mortality, increasingly relevant as PLWH age. Alcohol use is common among PLWH and known to affect bone health. The association between alcohol use and changes in BMD among PLWH is not well understood. We conducted a 3.5-year prospective cohort study of 250 PLWH with substance use disorder or ever injection drug use. Annual alcohol consumption was measured as a mean of grams per day of alcohol, mean number of heavy drinking days per month, mean number of days abstinent per month, and any heavy drinking, using the 30-day Timeline Followback method twice each year. The primary outcome was annual change in BMD measured each year by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in grams per square centimeter (g/cm2 ) at the femoral neck. Additional dependent variables included annual change in total hip and lumbar spine BMD, >6% annual decrease in BMD at any site, and incident fractures in the past year. Regression models adjusted for relevant covariates. The median age of participants was 50years. The median duration of HIV infection was 16.5years and the mean time since antiretroviral therapy initiation was 12.3years. At study entry, 67% of participants met criteria for low BMD (46% low bone mass, 21% osteoporosis). Median follow-up was 24months. We found no significant associations between any measure of alcohol consumption and changes in BMD (g/cm2 ) at the femoral neck (adjusted β for g/d of alcohol=-0.0032, p=0.7487), total hip, or lumbar spine. There was no significant association between any measure of alcohol consumption and >6% annual decrease in BMD at any site, or incident fractures. In this sample of PLWH and substance use disorders or ever injection drug use, we detected no association between any of the alcohol measures used in the study and changes in BMD or incident fractures.

Alcohol policy and fatal alcohol-related crashes in Finland 2000–2016

ABSTRACTObjective: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between annual alcohol consumption per capita/alcohol price index and the number of alcohol-related fatal motor vehicle accidents (AFMVAs). We were particularly interested in whether a tax reduction in 2004 increased the number of alcohol-related accidents.Method: The data consisted of all fatal motor vehicle accidents (FMVAs) during the years 2000–2016 obtained from a database maintained by the Finnish Crash Data Institute (OTI). The data included all fatally injured drivers. We compared the OTI data to official statistics on annual alcohol consumption and the alcohol price index.Results: There were 3,447 fatally injured drivers, of which 25% (n = 869) were intoxicated (blood alcohol concentration [BAC] ≥ 0.05%). After the reduction of the alcohol tax in 2004, the alcohol consumption rose 12.4% from 2003 to 2005 and AFMVAs rose 38%. There was a strong correlation (r = 0.7000, P < .018) between the recorded consumption of alcohol and the number of AFMVAs. There was a strong negative correlation between AFMVAs and the combined (retail + restaurant sales) alcohol price index (r = −0.7863, P = .0005). A linear mixed-effects model showed that a 1-L increase in total alcohol consumption per capita per year increases AFMVAs by 10.6 and a one-unit increase in the price index decreases AFMVAs by 1.8 per year.Conclusions: The correlation between alcohol consumption and alcohol-related crashes should be considered when making political decisions regarding alcohol price and availability. Any further liberalization of the alcohol policy would likely lead to an increase in alcohol-related fatal motor vehicle accidents. Similar consequences are likely to occur with drugs. Alcohol price policy is an effective way to improve road safety, but other measures taken to prevent FMVAs also seem to reduce the prevalence of AFMVAs.

Behavioral Health Risk Factors: the Interaction of Personal and Country Effects.

This study investigated the relationship between the individual's self-assessed health status (SAHS) and health-risk factors (smoking, alcohol consumption and obesity), in 16 European countries. The associations were studied for the individual and for the country measures-and in particular, for the unexplored aspect of interaction between individual and country levels of the three risk factors. Data for 47,114 adults, who participated in the Survey of Health Aging and Retirement Europe (SHARE), were analyzed using Multilevel Regression Analysis. The individual data were complemented by OECD data that provided country-specific risk measures: percentage of daily smokers, annual per-capita consumption of alcohol (liters), and percentage of obese individuals. We found that the individual's SAHS is negatively associated with smoking and with weight-risk factors and is positively associated with her/his alcohol consumption. The most pronounced associations relate to the weight variables, albeit they are attenuated in countries with higher percentages of obese individuals. Significant differences across countries were evidenced in the association between SAHS and smoking and between SAHS and alcohol consumption. Individual health levels are associated with individual risk factors and also with the behaviors in the country. Significant interactions might indicate that psychological factors are at work.

The prevalence of and risk factors for diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance among Tibetans in China: a cross-sectional study.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) has increased worldwide, although their prevalence and determinants among Tibetans are currently unknown. We thus aimed to explore the prevalence of and risk factors for DM and IGT among Tibetans in China. In 2011, 1659 Tibetan adults (aged ≥ 18 years) from Changdu, China, were recruited to this cross-sectional study. They completed a questionnaire and underwent physical examinations and laboratory testing to assess risk factors for DM and IGT. The age-standardized prevalence of DM and IGT among Tibetans was 6.2% and 19.7%, respectively. A higher annual family income, alcohol consumption, and higher fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level were risk factors for DM, with odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of 3.48 (1.43–8.48; P = 0.006) for those with family incomes of > 1600 USD/year, 3.06 (1.31–7.17; P = 0.010) for alcohol consumption, and 13.99 (7.76–25.22; P < 0.001) for FPG level. However, altitude was found to be negatively associated with the risk of DM; compared to individuals living at < 3500 meters, the risk of DM decreased by 65% for those living at 3500–3999 meters (P = 0.034) and by 89% for those living at ≥ 4000 meters (P = 0.015). Age, FPG levels, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly associated with IGT among Tibetans aged ≥ 18 years. These findings suggest that the prevalence of DM in Tibetans may continue to increase in future decades following rapid economic development, and it is crucial to address the management of conventional risk factors for reducing the disease burden of DM among Tibetans.

Alcohol consumption survey in an outpatient center of gastroenterology in southern Italy

Background: Italy ranks first among the European countries in terms of wine production and tenth for annual pro-capita alcohol consumption. However, there are noteworthy regional differences and in particular between northern and southern regions. Few studies have analysed the alcohol consumption in different social contexts in order to better understand the relationship between environmental, cultural, and personal variables.

Alcohol consumption trends in Australia: Comparing surveys and sales-based measures.

Survey data remain a crucial means for monitoring alcohol consumption, but there has been limited work done to ensure that surveys adequately capture changes in per-capita consumption in Australia. In this study, we explore how trends in consumption from two major Australian surveys compare with an official measure of per-capita consumption between 2001 and 2014 and examine age-specific trends in drinking. Data were from five waves of the cross-sectional National Health Survey (total n=113279) and 12 waves of the longitudinal Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Study (average n=12347). Overall and age-specific estimates of annual alcohol consumption were derived and compared with official per-capita consumption and previous analyses of the National Drug Strategy Household Survey. In terms of overall consumption, both surveys broadly reflected trends in per-capita consumption, especially the decline that has been observed since 2007/2008. Age-specific trends were broadly similar, with the recent decline in consumption clearly concentrated among teenagers and young adults. The main Australian monitoring surveys remain useful monitoring tools for alcohol consumption in Australia. There is consistent evidence that the recent declines in Australian per-capita consumption have been driven by sharp falls in drinking among young people, a trend that requires further study. [Livingston M, Callinan S, Raninen J, Pennay A, Dietze PM. Alcohol consumption trends in Australia: Comparing surveys and sales-based measures. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000-000].

Hostility predicts alcohol consumption over a 21-year follow-up in the Gazel cohort

BackgroundHostility has been found to be positively associated with alcohol intake in cross-sectional studies. Our aim was to examine prospectively the long-lasting association of hostility with alcohol consumption. MethodsWe included 10,612 men and 3834 women from the French Gazel cohort with mean ages in 1993 of 48.6 (SD=2.9) and 45.7(SD=4.2), respectively. Hostility (i.e., total, cognitive and behavioral) was assessed in 1993 with the Buss and Durkee Hostility Inventory. Alcohol consumption was self-reported annually from 1994 to 2014. Hostility scores were introduced successively in general linear mixed models with annual alcohol consumption in drinks per week as dependent variable. Multivariable analyses were adjusted for age, occupational status, marital status, retirement status and depression score. All the analyses were stratified by sex. ResultsAmong men (women), 83.0% (76.2%) completed at least 75% of all annual assessment of alcohol consumption over a 21-year follow-up. In univariate analysis, alcohol consumption was associated with total and behavioral hostility in both sex (all p<0.001). In multivariable analyses, these associations remained significant with a greater size effect for behavioral hostility. Estimated means of alcohol consumptions ranged from 10.50 [95CI%: 10.01–10.92] drinks per week to 13.32 [95%CI: 12.90–13.74] in men and from 4.09 [95%CI: 3.71–4.46] to 5.78 [95%CI: 5.39–6.17] in women, for the first and last quartiles respectively (p trends<0.001 and all pairwise comparisons<0.01). Similar effects were observed among participants with at-risk alcohol consumption at baseline. ConclusionsIn both men and women, behavioral hostility predicted alcohol consumption over a 21-year follow-up. Interventions aiming at modulating behavioral hostility may help reducing its long-lasting influence on alcohol consumption.

Regulation of Alcohol Outlets: Experiences of the First and Second Republic of Lithuania

In 1928-1931, annual consumption of legal pure alcohol per capita was just 1.17 litres, while in 2014 the alcohol consumption per capita was 12.7 litres. The alcohol outlet density is one of the most significant factors for the indicators of alcohol consumption. The aim of this paper is to compare the characteristics of the regulation of retail alcohol outlets in the First (1918-1940) and Second (1990-2015) Republic of Lithuania. The goals are the following: to evaluate the aspects of alcohol outlet density, expiration dates and issue conditions of seller licences, and the maintenance of public order of seller licence usage as well as assurance of safety in the neighbourhoods, and to determine the period of Seimas (governing parties) ruling during which fundamental changes occurred in the liberalization or prohibition with regards to regulation of alcohol outlets. The paper is based on the method of document analysis. It was determined that the regulation of alcohol outlets was much stricter in the period of the First Republic of Lithuania than in the period of the Second Republic. In the First Republic of Lithuania, the regulation of the density of alcohol outlets was connected to the assurance of public safety and prevention of noise, the community was involved in the regulation of the density of alcohol outlets, the density of alcohol outlets was regulated, the prohibited distances were defined between alcohol outlets and places of worship, cemeteries, healthcare and education establishments or other institutions significant to the public, the issued licences were short-term, for the period of one year. Even though in the period of the ruling of Antanas Smetona in 1934 the alcohol outlet regulation was liberalized, eliminating the influence of residents and municipalities on the issuing of licences, alcohol outlet regulation still remained stricter than in the period of the Second Republic of Lithuania. In 2002, the social-democratic coalition, which had the majority in the government, strongly liberalized the alcohol outlet regulation: it abolished any regulation of alcohol outlet density, eliminated short-term licences and authorised alcohol sales in sanatoriums, kiosks and petrol stations. Only the political group of Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian democrats, which had the majority in the Seimas of 2008-2012, managed to prohibit sales in kiosks and petrol stations, but the density remained unregulated, the licences were still short-term, the licencing was unconnected to public safety and assurance of public order, and the community’s influence was restricted only to expression of opinion on the issuing of new alcohol seller licences in the blocks of flats they reside in. It is recommended to connect alcohol outlet regulation with public safety and assurance of public order, to regulate outlet density, to issue short-term licences, and to empower the residents to participate in the alcohol outlet regulation.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ppaa.15.1.14691

Case Studies in Multi-unit LongitudinalModels with Random Coefficients and Patterned Correlation Structure

Modelling issues in multi-unit longitudinal models with random coefficients and patterned correlation structure are illustrated in the context of three data sets. The first data set deals with short time series data on annual death rates and alcohol consumption of twenty-five European countries. The second data set deals with glaceologic time series data on snow temperature at 14 different locations within a small glacier in the Austrian Alps. The third data set consists of annual economic time series on factor productivity, anddomestic and foreign research/development (R&amp;D) capital stocks. A practical model building approach–consisting of model specification, estimation, and diagnostic checking–is outlined in the context of these three data sets.