Alcohol Consumption In Population Research Articles

Current treatment options for alcohol-related liver disease

The burden of alcohol on global health is increasing, and there is a strong relationship between population alcohol consumption and liver-related deaths. As alcohol-related liver disease (ArLD) often develops with no signs or symptoms, the prevention of liver disease relies on the recognition of harmful drinking and screening of those patients at risk for early markers of liver disease. A robust method of screening patients at risk of ArLD is essential. Once a patient develops ArLD, abstinence and early recognition of its complications are keys to improving outcomes. Corticosteroids remain the mainstay treatment in alcoholic hepatitis pending the results from large multicentre trials. More recently, there has been an increased interest in the use of rifaximin and albumin in various settings of ArLD. Advances in the treatment of ArLD and its complications, such as alcoholic hepatitis, will allow a greater proportion of patients chance for their liver to recover. However, new strategies to detect and intervene in those patients at higher risk of ArLD are likely to have the greatest overall impact.

Serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) and alcohol use in general population: interaction effect with birth cohort

Prevalence of alcohol use is markedly influenced by socioeconomic conditions and is therefore subject to cohort effects. The common genetic variation 5-HTTLPR (serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region) has been related to several aspects of alcohol use and addiction but with mixed results, probably due to different environmental interaction effects. We aimed at assessing whether the association between alcohol use and 5-HTTLPR genotype is subject to cohort effects as birth cohorts may be raised in significantly different environments. We used the database of the Estonian Children Personality Behaviour and Health Study (beginning in 1998). Cohorts of initially 9-year-old (recalled at ages 15 and 18) and 15-year-old (recalled at ages 18 and 25) children provided self-reports on their alcohol use in all data collection waves (complete data available n = 1,075). A significant genotype × gender × cohort interaction effect on the age of consuming the first alcoholic drink was found [F(2, 1,063) = 7.2, p < 0.001]. Females with the s/s genotype in the older cohort were the latest experimenters with alcohol, while the s/s females of younger cohort had tried alcohol earlier than any other group. In males, there was no significant cohort × genotype interaction, but the 5-HTTLPR genotype was associated with alcohol use, the s/s subjects reporting the highest consumption. Expression of genetic vulnerability to alcohol use is influenced by birth cohort effects. The 5-HTTLPR genotype is associated with alcohol consumption in general population, but the effect depends on gender and birth cohort.

Readiness to Change and Reasons for Intended Reduction of Alcohol Consumption in Emergency Department versus Trauma Population

IntroductionThe primary objective was to identify the most common reasons for intending to cut back on alcohol use, in emergency department (ED) and trauma patient populations. The secondary objective was to determine the association between reason to cut back on alcohol and education level.MethodsWe conducted the study at a level one trauma center in California between 2008 and 2012. This was a retrospective analysis of data collected from computerized alcohol screening and intervention (CASI). We excluded patients who drank too little, and those whose scores were consistent with dependency (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test [AUDIT]>19). The CASI database includes the patient’s age, gender, language, education level, an AUDIT score (1–40 scale), a readiness to change score (1–10), and the option to choose any of 10 “reasons to cut back” on their alcohol consumption.ResultsFrom 10,537 patients, 1,202 met criteria for the study (848 ED, 354 trauma). Overall, the most common reasons cited for cutting back on alcohol were “To avoid health problems” (68.5%), “To avoid getting a DUI” (43.6%), “It could save me money” (42.0%), and “To avoid situations where I could get hurt” (41.0%). Trauma patients cited the following reasons significantly more than ED patients: “To avoid situations where I could get hurt” (46.3% versus 38.8%, respectively), “So I can be in control of my behavior” (40.7% versus 32.2%), and “My partner or spouse wants me to stop” (20.1% versus 15.0%). Additionally, those patients who cited “To avoid health problems” reported 1.2 points higher than average (p<0.001) on the 10-point readiness to change scale. Those who have completed some college or an associate degree cited “To avoid health problems” less often than high school graduates (odds ratio [OR] 0.45), while they cited “To avoid situations where I could get hurt” (OR 2.5) and “To avoid being in a car crash caused by alcohol use” (OR 3.8) more often than high school graduates.ConclusionHealth, injury, finances, and legal issues remain top concerns for patients, while trauma patients specifically had proportionately more concerns with situations where they could get hurt.

Ethnicity, Russification, and Excess Mortality in Kazakhstan.

Russians experience higher adult mortality than Central Asians despite higher socioeconomic status. This study exploits Kazakhstan's relatively heterogeneous population and geographic diversity to study ethnic differences in cause-specific mortality. In multivariate regression, all-cause mortality rates for Russian men is 27% higher than for Kazakh men, and alcohol-related death rates among Russian men are 2.5 times higher (15% and 4.1 times higher for females, respectively). Significant mortality differentials exist by ethnicity for external causes and alcohol-related causes of death. Adult mortality among Kazakhs is higher than previously found among Kyrgyz and lower than among Russians. The results suggest that ethnic mortality differentials in Central Asia may be related to the degree of russification, which could be replicating documented patterns of alcohol consumption in non-Russian populations.

Atypical Epidemiologic Finding in Association between Depression and Alcohol Use or Smoking in Korean Male: Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between substance use and depressive symptoms in a cohort of Koreans aged 45 years and older from a large, population-based study. Using the 2006 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, we estimated the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its association with smoking and alcohol use.MethodsDepressive symptoms were measured using the CES-D 10-item scale. Age, marital status, educational attainment, employment and any disability were the control variables. Because there were gender differences in smoking and alcohol use, we also performed a separate analysis by gender.ResultsIn the multivariable logistic regression, ex-drinkers were more likely to be depressed than non-drinkers (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.08-1.74 for males; OR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.23-2.57 for females). Compared to non-drinkers, males with moderate drinking habits (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.63-0.90) were less likely to be depressed, whereas heavy male drinkers were more likely to be depressed (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.07-1.91). Female smokers were more likely to be depressed than female non-smokers (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.51-2.83).ConclusionThis study showed atypical pattern of relationship between smoking and depression and U-shaped relationship between depressive symptoms and alcohol consumption in male population. Both of these findings could be inferred from that these regional characteristics might be cross-sectional finding of chronologic transition result from a rapid rise of late life depression in Korea.

ALDH2 is associated to alcohol dependence and is the major genetic determinant of “daily maximum drinks” in a GWAS study of an isolated rural chinese sample

Alcohol dependence (AD) is a moderately heritable phenotype with a small number of known risk genes mapped via linkage or candidate gene studies. We considered 313 males from among 595 members of documented, extended pedigrees in which AD segregates collected in Northern Hunan Province, China. A joint analysis of both males and females could not be performed as the difference in alcohol consumption variance was too large. Genome-wide association analyses were performed for approximately 300,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Significant associations found in the ALDH2 region for AD (minimum P = 4.73 × 10(-8)) and two AD-related phenotypes: flushing response (minimum P = 4.75 × 10(-26)) and maximum drinks in a 24-hr period (minimum P = 1.54 × 10(-16)). Association of previous candidate SNP, rs10774610 in CCDC63, was confirmed but resulted from linkage disequilibrium with ALDH2. ALDH2 is strongly associated with flushing response, AD, and maximum drinks in males, with nonsynonymous SNP rs671 explaining 29.2%, 7.9%, and 22.9% of phenotypic variation, respectively, in this sample. When rs671 was considered as a candidate SNP in females, it explained 23.6% of the variation in flushing response, but alcohol consumption rates were too low among females-despite familial enrichment for AD-for an adequate test of association for either AD or maximum drinks. These results support a mediating effect of aldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency on alcohol consumption in males and a secondary, culturally mediated limitation on alcohol consumption by females that should be appropriately modeled in future studies of alcohol consumption in populations where this may be a factor.

Investigation of the effect of a multi-buy discount ban on off-trade alcohol sales: a natural experiment in Scotland

BackgroundThe Alcohol etc (Scotland) Act 2010 was implemented in Scotland on Oct 1, 2011, and included a ban on multi-buy discounts of alcohol in Scotland's supermarkets and off licences (ie, off trade). The main aim of the legislation was to remove the price incentive for consumers to purchase more alcohol than they may otherwise have intended and, in turn, to reduce population levels of alcohol consumption. Alcohol sales data provide the best estimate of population alcohol consumption. We have investigated the effect of the introduction of the Alcohol Act on off-trade alcohol sales in Scotland. MethodsWe obtained data for the volume of pure alcohol sold off trade in Scotland and in England and Wales from market research specialists Nielsen (Oxford, UK) for individual weeks between January, 2009, and September, 2012 (appendix). Sales estimates were produced from electronic sales records from most large multiple retailers and a weighted stratified random sample of smaller retailers. We have previously shown that alcohol retail sales data offer a robust source of data for measurement and monitoring of alcohol consumption in Scotland and England and Wales. We used interrupted autoregressive integrated moving average time-series models to test for any change in off-trade alcohol sales (all alcohol and by drink type) after the introduction of the Alcohol Act in Scotland. Models accounted for underlying seasonal and secular trends and were adjusted for changes in other potential confounding factors including disposable income, alcohol prices, and on-trade alcohol sales. Data for these covariates were obtained from the Scottish Government and Office for National Statistics; Nielsen and Office for National Statistics; and CGA Strategy (Stockport, UK), respectively. To provide a concurrent control group, we did the same analyses using data for England and Wales, where the Alcohol Act does not apply. FindingsThe introduction of the Alcohol Act was associated with a 2·6% decrease in per-adult off-trade alcohol sales in Scotland (95% CI −5·3 to 0·2). This decline was driven by changes in off-trade wine sales, which decreased by 4·0% after the Act was introduced (95% CI −5·4 to −2·6). The Act was also associated with reduced sales of pre-mixed alcohol beverages (–8·5%, 95% CI −12·7 to −4·1), although these account for a very small proportion of total off-trade sales (1%). The Act was not associated with changes in sales of spirits, beer, or cider or perry in Scotland. There was no evidence to support an association between off-trade alcohol sales and the dummy Alcohol Act variable in England and Wales. InterpretationThe introduction of the Alcohol Act was associated with reduced off-trade alcohol sales in Scotland, largely attributable to a decline in wine sales. Key strengths of our study include the use of objective data for alcohol sales rather than subjective data on self-reported consumption, and the adjustment of our time-series models for underlying trends and potential confounders. Limitations include the exclusion of alcohol sales by certain retailers, the inability to disaggregate population sales estimates by different subgroups, and the short period after implementation of the Act. However, similar changes were not noted in England and Wales, where the Act does not apply, which lends weight to the hypothesis that the changes witnessed in Scotland were as a result of the Act rather than other unmeasured factors or biases. Thus, legislation to ban alcohol discounting seems an important policy in the mix to reduce population alcohol consumption levels. FundingPurchase of the sales data was funded by the Scottish Government as part of the wider Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland's Alcohol Strategy portfolio of studies.

Increased population drinking is not always associated with increased number of drink driving convictions

Increased population drinking is not always associated with increased number of drink driving convictions

Alcohol Consumption and Liver Disease in Australia: A Time Series Analysis of the Period 1935–2006

The aim of the study was to examine for Australia whether the link between population alcohol consumption and liver disease mortality varies over time, using 71 years of data. Overall and gender-specific rates of liver disease mortality were analysed in relation to total alcohol consumption as well as for different beverage types by using autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) time series methods. Separate models were developed for the entire time period and for two sub-periods (1935-1975, 1976-2006). A 1-l increase in adult per capita consumption of pure alcohol led to a rise of ∼10% in overall liver disease mortality rates and a 11 and 9% increase in female and male liver disease mortality, respectively. The strength of the relationship between per capita consumption and liver disease mortality diminished over time. Spirits consumption was found to be the main driving factor in liver mortality rates between 1935 and 1975, while beer consumption was found to be the most significant predictor in liver diseases in the last three decades. In a comparative perspective, the effect of per capita alcohol consumption on liver disease in Australia is similar to the USA, Southern and Eastern Europe countries, but weaker than in Canada and western European countries. An increase in per capita alcohol consumption in Australia is likely to lead to an increase in liver disease. Changes in the most important beverage over the study period suggest substantial shifts in drinking patterns and preferences among the heaviest Australian drinkers.

Alcohol consumption in diverse populations: how ethnicity moderates average number of drinks per day and age

Background: In the United States, more than 82% of people report using alcohol in their lifetime. The purpose of this study is to (1) examine gender, ethnicity, age and socio-economic status differences in alcohol consumption and (2) examine the relationship between age and average number of drinks per day as moderated by ethnicity.Method: The data examined are from the 2010 Arizona Health Survey (n = 7700). Regression analysis was used to determine how demographics correlate with alcohol use. In addition, ethnicity mediates age and average number of drinks per day.Results: Reported current alcohol use was highest among non-Hispanic whites compared to Hispanics and Native Americans. More non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics reported consuming alcohol than Natives; however, Natives were twice as likely to report heavy episodic drinking defined as averaging three or more drinks per day than non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics. Age and average number of drinks were moderated by ethnicity. Hispanics average less drinks as they age, non-Hispanic whites remain consistent throughout their lifetime and Native Americans average more drinks as they age.Conclusions: These results provide a unique look at drinking patterns by ethnicity over the life course. Rates of drinking that may have been safe when someone was younger may no longer be safe as the person ages and health changes.

Socio-economic determinants for alcohol consumption and heavy episodic drinking in a Ugandan student population

Stafström, M. &amp; Agardh, A. (2012). Socio-economic determinants for alcohol consumption and heavy episodic drinking in a Ugandan student population. International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, 1(1), 57-67. doi: 10.7895/ijadr.v1i1.40 (http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v1i1.40)Aims: To examine whether the socio-economic determinants of alcohol use found in high-income university student settings are also true of Uganda.Design: Two cross-sectional surveys, conducted in 2005 and 2010, combined into a single dataset.Setting: Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) in southwestern Uganda.Participants: 2,934 students (N in 2005 = 980; N in 2010 = 1,954). Total response rate = 76.8%.Results: Multivariate logistic regression showed the following socio-economic determinants to be positively associated with alcohol consumption: having attended boarding school (for males only); being Catholic; religion not playing a big role while growing up; head of household having had secondary education or higher (for females only); being a student of development studies, tropical forest conservation or computer science (the latter two for males only). Being Muslim or, for males, being a non-Anglican Protestant were negatively related to alcohol use. Different patterns were found for heavy episodic drinking. Being a male Muslim or a male student of development studies was positively related to heavy episodic drinking; while among females, being of a non-classified faith, having had a head of the household with a secondary education, not being raised by both parents, or being a student of development studies or science were positively related to heavy episodic drinking.Conclusion: Alcohol consumption and heavy episodic drinking on a monthly basis among the students at MUST seem linked to a student’s socio-economic background, with varying patterns for male and female students.

Use of record-linkage to handle non-response and improve alcohol consumption estimates in health survey data: a study protocol

IntroductionReliable estimates of health-related behaviours, such as levels of alcohol consumption in the population, are required to formulate and evaluate policies. National surveys provide such data; validity depends on generalisability,...

A novel use of record linkage: resolving non-representativeness in health surveys and improving alcohol consumption estimates to inform strategy evaluation

BackgroundPopulation health estimates are commonly inferred from survey data to inform policy. However, if the survey is not representative, bias can arise, invalidating estimates (especially in relation to prevalence and quantity estimates such as population alcohol consumption and other health behaviours). A key aspect determining the extent to which surveys are representative is the level of participant response. Inverse probability weights are usually applied in an attempt to correct for non-response, but are typically based on a limited range of sociodemographic variables and make the assumption that non-responders have similar behaviours to responders in the same sociodemographic category. We aim to explore and address non-representativeness in national health survey data by exploiting health and mortality record linkage, obtaining improved estimates of population alcohol consumption (weekly; binge drinking) and related dysfunction (problem drinking). MethodsData from the cross-sectional cluster-sampled Scottish Health Surveys (SHeSs; response levels 67–81%) have been confidentially linked (91% consent) to prospective and retrospective hospital admission and mortality data (roughly 90% accurate diagnosis, 99% complete). For preliminary analyses, we investigated whether weighted estimates of all-cause mortality and mortality from alcohol-related disorders derived from the SHeSs reflect those in the population of Scotland. Directly age-standardised survey-weighted mortality rates were calculated for the 3117 men and 3980 women aged 20 years and older at interview. We calculated equivalent mortality rates for the whole of Scotland using population estimates and mortality data contemporaneous with the linked survey data. Subsequently, we shall use information about differentials between the survey sample and general population to derive probabilities of alcohol-related harm (admissions to hospital or deaths) in non-responders by age, sex, deprivation, and region group. From general population data, we shall identify the number missing from the surveys in each group and simulate observations for non-responders with corresponding alcohol-related harm probabilities. We shall multiply impute alcohol consumption in simulated non-responders and modify imputations to represent any consumption-harm association differences, finally devising a correction factor. FindingsDeaths of 201 (6%) men and 215 (5%) women were recorded in the 2003 SHeS by the end of 2008. In men, all-cause mortality was lower in the SHeS sample (928 per 100 000 person-years, 95% CI 793–1075) than in the Scottish population (1269, 1262–1276). Figures for women were also significantly different (735, 633–846, for the SHeS and 902, 897–907, for the Scottish population). Alcohol-related mortality was somewhat lower in the SHeS sample (38, 15–75, in men and 9, 1–30, in women) relative to the Scottish population (54, 53–56, in men [p=0·317] and 23, 23–24, in women [p=0·190]). InterpretationWe found that people who responded to the 2003 SHeS differed from the population they were intended to represent, with lower than expected all-cause and alcohol-related mortality, despite the application of conventional weighting and age-standardisation methods. We offer a way of obtaining added value from record linkage by gaining additional insight into representativeness. By enabling more accurate estimates of population alcohol intake, this approach should lead to improved evaluation of interventions, informing policy aimed at reducing consumption. The development of effective corrective procedures offers a valuable boost to all survey-based research. FundingMedical Research Council and Chief Scientist Office for Scotland.

OP73 Exploring Impacts of Survey Non-Response using Record-Linkage of Scottish Health Survey Data (2003 to 2008)

BackgroundInference on population health is commonly derived from health survey data, based on the assumption that they are representative of the target communities. Departure from representativeness may weaken external validity...

A Review of Evidence-Based Approaches for Reduction of Alcohol Consumption in Native Women Who Are Pregnant or of Reproductive Age

Background: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are the leading preventable cause of developmental disabilities in the United States and likely throughout the world. FASDs can be prevented by avoiding alcohol use during pregnancy; however, efforts to prevent risky alcohol consumption in women of childbearing potential have not been universally successful. Objectives: Data suggest that successful interventions may require tailoring methods to meet the needs of specific populations and cultures. Key findings of interventions previously tested among American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) women who are or may become pregnant, data gaps, and promising ongoing interventions are reviewed. Methods: A systematic review of the current literature on empirically based interventions among AI/AN women was conducted. Selected alternative approaches currently being tested in AI/AN settings are also described. Results: Similar to findings among other populations of women in the United States, a number of interventions have been implemented; however, only a small number have measured results. Approaches have included standard interventions involving hospitalization, inpatient, or outpatient care; wellness education; traditional approaches; and case management for high-risk women. An ongoing Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) protocol comparing the effectiveness of a web-based culturally adapted tool, or a peer health educator model to standard clinical practice is described. Conclusion: Translation of successful interventions from other settings to AI/AN populations holds promise. Scientific Significance: FASDs represent a significant health issue with high personal and societal costs. Improvement of interventions to prevent prenatal alcohol consumption in specific populations, including AI/AN women, is a critical public health need.

A Review of the Validity and Reliability of Alcohol Retail Sales Data for Monitoring Population Levels of Alcohol Consumption: A Scottish Perspective

Aims: To assess the validity and reliability of using alcohol retail sales data to measure and monitor population levels of alcohol consumption. Methods: Potential sources of bias that could lead to under- or overestimation of population alcohol consumption based on alcohol retail sales data were identified and, where possible, quantified. This enabled an assessment of the potential impact of each bias on alcohol consumption estimates in Scotland. Results: Overall, considering all the possible sources of overestimation and underestimation, and taking into account the potential for sampling variability to impact on the results, the range of uncertainty of consumption during 2010 was from an overestimate of 0.3 l to an underestimate of 2.4 l of pure alcohol per adult. This excludes the impacts of alcohol stockpiling and alcohol sold through outlets not included in the sampling frame. On balance, there is therefore far greater scope for alcohol retail sales data to be underestimating per adult alcohol consumption in Scotland than there is for overestimation. Conclusion: Alcohol retail sales data offer a robust source of data for monitoring per adult alcohol consumption in Scotland. Consideration of the sources of bias and a comprehensive understanding of data collection methods are essential for using sales data to monitor trends in alcohol consumption.

Alcohol, diabetes, and public health in the Americas

This article describes epidemiological evidence on the association between alcohol use and diabetes, and the implications for clinical management and public health policies in the Americas. Heavy alcohol use is a risk factor for both diabetes and poor treatment adherence, despite evidence that moderate drinking can protect against type 2 diabetes under some circumstances. The burden of disease from diabetes associated with excessive alcohol consumption warrants both clinical and public health measures. On the clinical level, research on early interventions to prevent hazardous drinking shows that new screening, brief intervention, and referral techniques are effective ways to manage hazardous drinking in primary care settings. On the population level, restrictions on alcohol marketing and other alcohol control policies reduce the frequency and intensity of alcohol consumption in at-risk populations. These policy actions are recommended within the context of the World Health Organization's global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol.

Associations between alcohol consumption and selected cytokines in a Swiss population-based sample (CoLaus study)

ObjectiveTo assess the associations between alcohol consumption and cytokine levels (interleukin-1beta – IL-1β; interleukin-6 – IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α – TNF-α) in a Caucasian population. MethodsPopulation sample of 2884 men and 3201 women aged 35–75. Alcohol consumption was categorized as nondrinkers, low (1–6 drinks/week), moderate (7–13/week) and high (14+/week). ResultsNo difference in IL-1β levels was found between alcohol consumption categories. Low and moderate alcohol consumption led to lower IL-6 levels: median (interquartile range) 1.47 (0.70–3.51), 1.41 (0.70–3.32), 1.42 (0.66–3.19) and 1.70 (0.83–4.39)pg/ml for nondrinkers, low, moderate and high drinkers, respectively, p<0.01, but this association was no longer significant after multivariate adjustment. Compared to nondrinkers, moderate drinkers had the lowest odds (Odds ratio=0.86 (0.71–1.03)) of being in the highest quartile of IL-6, with a significant (p<0.05) quadratic trend. Low and moderate alcohol consumption led to lower TNF-α levels: 2.92 (1.79–4.63), 2.83 (1.84–4.48), 2.82 (1.76–4.34) and 3.15 (1.91–4.73)pg/ml for nondrinkers, low, moderate and high drinkers, respectively, p<0.02, and this difference remained borderline significant (p=0.06) after multivariate adjustment. Moderate drinkers had a lower odds (0.81 [0.68–0.98]) of being in the highest quartile of TNF-α. No specific alcoholic beverage (wine, beer or spirits) effect was found. ConclusionsModerate alcohol consumption is associated with lower levels of IL-6 and (to a lesser degree) of TNF-α, irrespective of the type of alcohol consumed. No association was found between IL-1β levels and alcohol consumption.

What is the optimal level of population alcohol consumption for chronic disease prevention in England? Modelling the impact of changes in average consumption levels

ObjectiveTo estimate the impact of achieving alternative average population alcohol consumption levels on chronic disease mortality in England.DesignA macro-simulation model was built to simultaneously estimate the number of deaths from...

Five-years cumulative incidence of alcohol consumption in Croatian adult population: the study

Alcohol consumption is traditionally part of most human cultures, and with the onset of industrial revolution it was recognized as a health and social problem. The aim of this article is to investigate cumulative incidence of alcohol consumption in Croatia. Data were obtained from the Croatian Adult health Survey in 2003 followed by 2008. The cohort consisted of 3229 participants. Questions regarding alcohol consumption were calculated into two factors describing existence or non-existence of risk behavior. Results revealed higher incidence of risk alcohol consumption in man than in women and highest in the 35-65, age group. Due to the some study limitations results might be underestimated. Present problem of alcohol is alarming, even more so, in women's population it might be only the tip of the iceberg. Cultural and regional differences should be taken into account when educational programs are constructed, especially due to the different type of alcohol consumed.