Beverage-specific Alcohol Sales Research Articles

Beverage-Specific Alcohol Sales and Gender Difference in Suicide Rates in Russia

Background: In the Western world, males die from suicide three to four times more often than females. The reasons behind the gender gap in suicide mortality are hotly debated in the scientific literature. Russia retains one of the highest gender gap in suicide rates in the world. Some researchers have reported a close link between alcohol and suicide in Russia both in present and the past. Objective: The aim of the current study was to examine the aggregate-level relationship between the consumption of different alcoholic beverages and gender difference in suicide rates in Russia between 1970 and 2015. Method: The ARIMA (autoregressive integrated moving average) modeling technique was used to evaluate the relationship between changes in the consumption of different types of alcoholic beverages and gender difference in suicide mortality across the study period. Results: The results of ARIMA analysis indicate that vodka sales is closely linked with gender difference in suicide mortality in Russia: an additional liter of vodka sales per capita was estimated to increase in the difference between male and female suicide mortality rates by 10.3%. Conclusions: This piece of evidence provides support for the hypothesis that high level of vodka consumption in conjunction with binge drinking pattern may be a major reason for the high gender difference in suicide rates and its dramatic fluctuations in Russia during the last few decades.

The Differential Effects of Beverage Type on Stroke Mortality

Background: Stroke is one of the major causes of death in the developed world and a top ten contributor to the global burden of disease. Russia has one of the world’s highest stroke incidence and mortality rates. Several studies have emphasized the role of binge drinking as important determinant of high stroke mortality rate in Russia. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between the consumption of different beverage types and stroke mortality rates in Russia. Method: Age-standardized male and female stroke mortality data for the period 1980-2005 and data on beverage-specific alcohol sales were obtained from Russian State Statistical Committee. Time-series analytical modelling techniques (ARIMA) were used to examine the relation between the sale of different alcoholic beverages (vodka, wine, beer) and stroke mortality rates. Result: Vodka consumption as measured by sale was significantly associated with both male and female stroke mortality rate. The consumption of beer and wine were not associated with stroke mortality rate. The estimates of the age specific models for men were positive (except for the 75+ age group) and ranging from 0.038 (60-74 age group) to 0.98 (30-44 age group). The estimates for women were positive for the 30-44 age groups (0.074) and 45-59 age groups (0.053). Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that public health efforts should focus on both reducing overall consumption and changing beverage preference away from distilled spirits in order to reduce cerebrovascular mortality rates in Russia.

EPA-0278 – Aggregate-level effect of alcohol on alcohol-related mortality rate in russia: does the type of alcohol matter?

Introduction The harmful use of alcohol was identified as a major contributor to premature deaths toll in Russia. Research evidence has suggested that the consumption of different types of alcoholic beverage may have a differential effect on alcohol-related mortality rate. Objective The aim of this study was to examine the relation between the consumption of different beverage types and alcoholism/alcohol psychoses mortality rates in Russia. Method Age-standardized male and female mortality data for the period 1970–2005 and data on beverage-specific alcohol sales were obtained from Russian State Statistical Committee. Time-series analytical modeling techniques (ARIMA) were used to examine the relation between the sale of different alcoholic beverages (vodka, wine, beer) and alcoholism/alcohol psychoses mortality rates. Results The analysis suggests that of the three beverages vodka alone was associated with alcoholism and alcohol psychoses mortality in Russia. The estimated effects of vodka sales on the alcoholism and alcohol psychoses mortality rates are clearly statistically significant for both sexes: a 1 liter increase in vodka sales would result in a 32.5% increase in the male alcoholism and alcohol psychoses mortality rate and in 37.7% increase in female mortality rate. Conclusions The present study indicates that alcoholism and alcohol psychoses mortality tends to be more responsive to changes in spirits consumption per capita than to the wine or beer consumption. The findings from this study suggest that public health efforts should focus on both reducing overall consumption and changing beverage preference away from distilled spirits in order to reduce alcohol-related mortality rates in Russia.

The Effect of Beverage Type on Alcoholism Mortality in Russia

Background: Alcohol is increasingly implicated in the mortality crisis observed in Russia since the collapse of the communist system. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between the consumption of different beverage types and alcoholism mortality rates in Russia. Method: Age-standardized male and female alcoholism mortality data for the period 1970-2005 and data on beverage-specific alcohol sales were obtained from Russian State Statistical Committee. Time-series analytical modeling techniques (ARIMA) were used to examine the relation between the sales of different alcoholic beverages (vodka, wine, beer) and alcoholism mortality rates.

The Differential Effects of Beverage Type on Alcohol Poisoning Mortality in Russia

Background: Death from alcohol poisoning is a serious public health problem in Russia. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between the consumption of different beverage types and alcohol poisoning mortality rates in Russia. Method: Age-standardized male and female alcohol poisoning mortality data for the period 1970-2010 and data on beverage-specific alcohol sales were obtained from Russian State Statistical Committee. Time-series analytical modeling techniques were used to examine the relation between the sales of different alcoholic beverages (vodka, wine, beer) and alcohol poisoning mortality rates. Results: Total alcohol sale is a statistically significant associated with both male and female alcohol poisoning mortality rates, implying that a 1-litre increase in per capita alcohol sales is associated with an increase in male mortality of 7.4% and female mortality of 9.0%. The analysis also suggests that of the three beverages (vodka, beer and wine) vodka alone was associated with alcohol poisoning mortality in Russia. The estimated effects of vodka sales on the alcohol poisoning mortality rate are clearly statistically significant for both sexes: a 1 liter increase in vodka sales would result in a 16.1% increase in the male alcohol poisoning mortality rate and in 17.9% increase in female mortality rate. Conclusions: The findings from this study suggest that public health efforts should focus on both reducing overall consumption and changing beverage preference away from distilled spirits in order to reduce alcohol-related mortality rates in Russia.

Beverage Specific Effect of Alcohol on Stroke Mortality in Russia

Background: Stroke is one of the major causes of death in the developed world and a top ten contributor to the global burden of disease. Russia has one of the world’s highest stroke incidence and mortality rates. Several studies have emphasized the role of binge drinking as important determinant of high stroke mortality rate in Russia. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between the consumption of different beverage types and stroke mortality rates in Russia. Method: Age-standardized male and female stroke mortality data for the period 1970-2005 and data on beverage-specific alcohol sales were obtained from Russian State Statistical Committee. Time-series analytical modeling techniques (ARIMA) were used to examine the relation between the sale of different alcoholic beverages (vodka, wine, beer) and stroke mortality rates. Results: The analysis suggests that of the three beverages vodka alone was associated with stroke mortality in Russia. The estimated effects of vodka sales on the stroke mortality rate are clearly statistically significant for both sexes: a 1 liter increase in vodka sales would result in a 3.1% increase in the male stroke mortality rate and in 1.7% increase in female stroke mortality rate. Conclusions: The findings from this study suggest that public health efforts should focus on both reducing overall consumption and changing beverage preference away from distilled spirits in order to reduce cerebrovascular mortality rates in Russia.

The effects of beverage type on homicide rates in Russia, 1970–2005

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS. Previous research from Western Europe and North America has suggested that consuming different types of alcoholic beverage may have differing effects on homicide rates both within and between countries. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between the consumption of different beverage types and homicide rates in Russia across the later-Soviet and post-Soviet periods. Age-standardised male and female homicide data for the period 1970-2005 and data on beverage-specific alcohol sales were obtained from the Russian State Statistical Committee (Rosstat). Time series analysis (autoregressive integrated moving average modelling) was used to examine the relation between the sale (consumption) of different alcoholic beverages and homicide rates. Total alcohol consumption and vodka consumption as measured by sales were significantly associated with both male and female homicide rates: a 1L increase in overall alcohol sales would result in a 5.9% increase in the male homicide rate and a 5.1% increase in the female homicide rate. The respective figures for vodka were 16.4% and 14.3%. The consumption of beer and wine was not associated with changes in homicide rates. Our findings suggest that the consumption of distilled spirits has had an especially detrimental impact on lethal violence in Russia from at least 1970 onwards. In order to reduce homicide rates in this context, alcohol policy should focus on reducing overall consumption as well as attempting to shift the beverage preference away from distilled spirits.

P03-467 - The effects of beverage type on suicide rates in Russia

ObjectivePrevious research has suggested that the consumption of different types of alcoholic beverage may have a differential effect on suicide rates. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between the consumption of different beverage types and suicide rates in Russia across the later-Soviet and post-Soviet periods.MethodAge-standardised sex- and age-specific suicide rates for the period 1980–2005 and data on beverage-specific alcohol sales were obtained Russian State Statistical Committee (Rosstat). Time-series analytical modelling techniques (ARIMA) were used to examine the relation between the sale of different alcoholic beverages and suicide rates.ResultsVodka consumption as measured by sales was significantly associated with both male and female suicide rates. The consumption of beer and wine were not associated with suicide rates. The estimates of the age specific models for men were positive (except for the 75+ age group) and ranging from 0.069 (60–74 age group) to 0.123 (30–44 age group). The estimates for women were positive for the 15–29 age group (0.08), 30–44 age group (0.096) and 45–59 age group (0.057).ConclusionsThese findings suggest that public health efforts should focus on both reducing overall consumption and changing beverage preference away from distilled spirits in order to reduce suicide rates in Russia.

Ventas de bebidas alcohólicas y mortalidad violenta en Rusia

High violent mortality rate in Russia and its profound fluctuation over recent decades have attracted considerable interest. A mounting body of evidence points to the binge drinking pattern as a potentially important contributor to the violent mortality crisis in Russia. In line with this evidence, we assume that higher level of vodka consumption in conjunction with binge drinking pattern results in close aggregate-level association between vodka sales and violent mortality rates in Russia. To test this hypothesis, trends in beverage-specific alcohol sales per capita and mortality rates from external causes in Russia between 1980 and 2005 were analyzed by means of ARIMA time-series analysis. Results of the analysis indicate that violent mortality rates tend to be more responsive to change in vodka sales per capita than to change in total level of alcohol sales. The analysis suggests that a 1-litre increase in vodka sales per capita would result in a 5% increase in violent mortality rate, an 11.3% increase in accidents and injuries mortality rate, a 9.2% increase in suicide rate, a 12.5% increase in homicide rate, and a 21.9% increase in fatal alcohol poisoning rate. The outcomes of this study provide support for the hypothesis that alcohol played a crucial role in the fluctuation in violent mortality rate in Russia in recent decades. Assuming that drinking vodka is usually associated with intoxication episodes, these findings provide additional evidence that the binge drinking pattern is an important determinant of the violent mortality crisis in Russia.

Beverage-Specific Alcohol Sale and Cardiovascular Mortality in Russia

Objective. Recent research evidence suggests that the consumption of different types of alcoholic beverage may have a differential effect on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) mortality rates. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between the consumption of different beverage types and CVD mortality rates in Russia across the later-Soviet and post-Soviet periods. Method. Age-standardized male and female CVD mortality data for the period 1970–2005 and data on beverage-specific alcohol sales were obtained Russian State Statistical Committee (Rosstat). Time-series analytical modeling techniques (ARIMA) were used to examine the relation between the sales of different alcoholic beverages and CVD mortality rates. Results. Vodka consumption as measured by sales was significantly associated with both male and female CVD mortality rates: a 1 liter increase in vodka sales would result in a 5.3% increase in the male CVD mortality rate and a 3.7% increase in the female rate. The consumption of beer and wine were not associated with CVD mortality rates. Conclusions. The findings from this study suggest that public health efforts should focus on both reducing overall consumption and changing beverage preference away from distilled spirits in order to reduce cardiovascular mortality rates in Russia.

Beverage-Specific Alcohol Sale and Suicide in Russia

The high suicide rate in Russia and its profound fluctuation over the past decades have attracted considerable interest. There is growing evidence that beverage preference and binge-drinking patterns, i.e., excessive consumption of strong spirits, results in a quicker and deeper level of intoxication, which increases the propensity for the alcohol-related suicide. In line with this evidence, we assumed that higher levels of vodka consumption, in conjunction with binge-drinking patterns, would result in a close, aggregate-level association between vodka sales and suicide in Russia. To test this hypothesis, trends in beverage-specific alcohol sales per capita and suicide rates from 1970 to 2005 in Russia were analyzed employing ARIMA time-series analysis. The results of the time-series analysis suggested that a 1 liter increase in overall alcohol sales would result in a 4% increase in the male suicide rate and a 2.8% increase in the female suicide rate; a 1 liter increase in vodka sales would increase the suicide rate by 9.3% for men and by 6% for women. This study replicates previous findings from other settings, which suggest that suicide rates tend to be more responsive to changes in distilled spirits consumption per capita than to the total level of alcohol consumption. Assuming that drinking spirits is usually associated with intoxication episodes, these findings provide additional evidence that the drinking pattern is an important determinant in the relationship between alcohol and suicide. The outcomes of this study also provide support for the hypothesis that suicide and alcohol are closely connected in cultures where an intoxication-oriented drinking pattern prevails and adds to the growing body of evidence that alcohol plays a crucial role in the fluctuation in suicide mortality rates in Russia during recent decades.

Beverage sales and drinking and driving: the role of on-premise drinking places.

The relationships between on-premise drinking places, beverage specific alcohol sales and drinking and driving were examined in a time series cross-sectional study of place-of-last-drink data from Perth, Western Australia. At arrest, 2,411 drinking drivers reported their last location of consumption. Tabulated by 57 premises over 4 years, the rates at which individual premises were referenced as the place-of-last-drink were taken to reflect the relative distributions of numbers of drinking drivers coming from different premise types (hotels, taverns and nightclubs). The data were then statistically related to measures of premise types and characteristics and beverage specific alcohol sales. Significant cross-sectional relationships were obtained between measures of premise types, alcohol sales and drinking and driving. Greatest numbers of drinking drivers came from taverns and from places selling greater amounts of beer and spirits. Significant longitudinal effects were obtained for sales of beer, proportions of high alcohol beer sold and sales of spirits. As a whole, the results suggest that, at least for Western Australia, outlets selling greater amounts of beer and spirits, and greater amounts of high alcohol beer, will produce larger numbers of drinking drivers.

The relationship of alcohol sales to cirrhosis mortality.

The goal of the current study was to evaluate the extent to which beverage specific alcohol sales (beer, wine and distilled spirits) are associated with cirrhosis mortality rates. Cirrhosis mortality rates were related to measures of beverage specific alcohol sales data from 50 states in the United States taken over 12 years. Cirrhosis mortality rates were regressed over beverage specific alcohol sales in a time series cross-sectional analysis that included age compositions of state populations, measures of the availability of health care, population density, proscriptions on alcohol use, income, tourism and nighttime traffic fatality crash rates as covariates. Controlling for empirically observed first order autocorrelated errors in estimation, and the effects of other related covariates, the analyses showed that there was a beverage specific effect of distilled spirits sales on cirrhosis mortality rates. One percent increases in spirits sales were reflected in .282% increases in cirrhosis mortality rates. There were no significant effects for either beer or wine sales. The relationship of spirits sales to cirrhosis mortality rates may be explained most reasonably by the association of chronic heavy drinking with the consumption of spirits.

The relationship of the retail availability of alcohol and alcohol sales to alcohol-related traffic crashes

The research literature on the relationship of alcohol consumption to motor vehicle crash risk clearly implicates the importance of minimizing the use of alcohol in conjunction with the operation of motor vehicles. However, there has been relatively little documentation of the direct impact of changes in beverage-specific alcohol sales on the most common surrogate for alcohol-involved traffic crashes, single-vehicle nightime fatalities. Similarly, there have been few studies of the relationship between the physical availability of alcohol and fatal crash rates which have concurrently controlled for differences in alcohol sales. Indeed, the possibility that reduced availability might lead to increases rather than decreases in fatal crashes (due to increased driving after drinking) has not been adequately tested. This paper presents a series of analyses of time-series cross-sectional data from 38 states over 12 years to evaluate the impact of changes in alcohol sales and the physical availability of alcohol upon single-vehicle nighttime fatal crashes. The results of the study showed, first, that independent of a number of economic and demographic covariates, rates of single-vehicle nighttime fatal crashes were most strongly related to sales of beer and less so to sales of spirits and wine. Second, net of beverage-specific alcohol sales, the physical availability of alcohol was not related to measurable changes in fatal crash rates. Thus, reductions in availability intended to reduce alcohol sales and problems would not appear to increase traffic-related crashes through increased driving exposure.