Alcohol Consumption Structure Research Articles

Changes in alcohol consumption among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic - results from POLLEK study.

Social distancing and remote learning as one of the ways to fight against COVID-19 pandemic have affected universities and changed the lifestyle of many students. Psychoactive substances use was one of the way to deal with the anxiety caused by these new settings. Studies published so far have not provided a clear answer on whether COVID-19 leads to changes in the structure of alcohol consumption among medical students. The presented study attempted to answer this question based on the data available from the POLLEK study. The study group included 3 separate groups of medical students (recruited in the following academic years: 2019/2020, 2020/2021, and 2021/2022) with a total number of 899 students. To assess the characteristics of alcohol consumption the authors used a Polish version of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). Students surveyed during the lockdown lived in the family home much more often, reported good health, and declared consumption of a smaller number of alcoholic beverages. Their AUDIT scores were statistically significantly (p = 0.04) lower compared to the group surveyed before the pandemic (5 vs. 6, respectively). There were no significant differences in the AUDIT results between other study periods. Lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic might be associated with a decrease in alcohol intake among medical students. This may be due to a different place of residence of students, a family home rather than a dormitory. However, the debate on this topic seems to be still open. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(3):406-16.

Impact of income on the structure of alcohol sales in Russia

Significant changes in the structure of alcohol consumption, as well as changing economic cycles, make Russia a convenient object for studying the impact of the population’s income on the structure of alcohol consumption.

Comparative Analysis of Alcohol Excise Taxation and State Alcohol Policies in Russia and Germany

The influence of excise policy on alcohol consumption has been a focus of interest among Russian and international researchers. In Russia, the socio-economic effects of alcohol abuse are as damaging to the country as its health effects. This problem can be addressed by stimulating a shift of consumer preferences from spirits towards low-alcohol beverages, such as wine and beer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of state alcohol policies, in particular the price and non-price measures, in Russia and Germany and the influence of these policies on alcohol consumption. Based on our research findings, we are going to devise recommendations for improvement of the state alcohol excise policies in these countries. The hypothesis is that for Russia, a feasible solution would be to readjust its alcohol excise policy by increasing the tax burden on spirits and reducing the burden on low-alcohol beverages, which would change the price structure for different kinds of alcohol products. The research methodology involves the analysis of the current state and characteristics of alcohol excise taxation in Russia and Germany, the measures of the state alcohol policies implemented in these countries and their influence on tax revenues and alcohol consumption. We also conducted comparative analysis of the restrictive measures of manufacture, distribution, sale and consumption of alcohol products in Russia and Germany; the dynamics and types of alcohol excise rates in Russia and EU countries. Yet another question discussed in this study is the influence of restrictive measures, especially excise duties, on the amount and structure of alcohol consumption in Russia and Germany. Our study has shown the need to readjust the alcohol excise policy in Russia by taking into account the experience of Germany and other European states. For citation Iadrennikova E. V., Busse R. A. Comparative Analysis of Alcohol Excise Taxation and State Alcohol Policies in Russia and Germany. Journal of Tax Reform . 2020;6(1):54–72. DOI: 10.15826/jtr.2020.6.1.075. Article info Received February 10, 2020 ; Revised March 6, 2020 ; Accepted March 27, 2020

THE PROBLEM OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IN LVIV IN THE SOCIOLOGICAL DIMENSION (BY THE MATERIALS OF THE EMPIRICAL RESEARCH)

Introduction. The article was written on the basis of a sociological study of alcohol consumption conducted in the spring of 2019 in Lviv.
 Purpose. The purpose of the article is to provide an overview of the conducted research, focusing mainly on patterns of alcohol consumption and awareness of harm from the residents of Lviv region.
 Design/Methodology Approach. A quantitative representative sociological survey with a multi-stage proportional stratification sample and a quota at the last stage. The sample size is 1200 people; Lviv - 400 people, Lviv region - 800 people. The study was conducted according to the methodology and using the toolkit of European questionnaires adapted to the Ukrainian conditions, implemented in 2016-2017. (RARHA 2017).
 Results. This research has demonstrated the scale of the problems related to alcohol in Lviv. The results obtained indicate the prevalence of the so-called incidental model of alcohol consumption, which at low frequency of drinking implies a high level of its single consumption. Alcoholic beverages are predominant in the structure of alcohol consumption. Mainly alcohol is consumed in a home atmosphere, less commonly consumed in public places.
 Limitations and strengths of the study. A limitation and a strength of this study is its focus on only one region of Ukraine - the Lviv region.
 Practical/Social Value. The practical value of this research is to create a general panorama of the alcohol situation in the region and promoting the formation of an adequate anti-alcohol strategy for Lviv.
 Originality/Conclusions. Reserves have been identified in prevention work, namely a reserve for anti-alcohol activity in communities, for its implementation by public organizations within the framework of integrated social services for the community

Investigating the volume and structure of alcohol consumption in Russian regions

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine macroeconomic factors that are significantly related to consumption of various alcoholic beverages in Russia.Design/methodology/approachThe authors consider 78 Russian regions for the period from 2008 to 2012. Data were collected from the Federal State Statistics Service of Russia. The authors investigate differences in the volume and structure of consuming absolute alcohol in aggregate, vodka, beer, and wine. Estimating fixed effect panel models enables us to reveal the relationship between alcohol consumption and the set of macroeconomic factors that include economic development of regions and living standards, the effect of unemployment, and the degree of urbanization.FindingsAlcohol consumption is procyclical in Russia. Two main alcoholic beverages in Russia are vodka and beer. Economic development and urbanization of regions are positively related to consuming alcohol. Unemployment rate affects consumption of different types of alcoholic drinks in a different way. For absolute alcohol, vodka and beer, this relationship is negative. However, it is positive for wine. The effect of unemployment on absolute alcohol and vodka increases over time. For beer, it is remained unchanged. For wine, this effect weakens over time.Originality/valueTo the authors knowledge, the paper is the first one to analyze macro-level factors of consumption of different alcoholic beverages in Russia. Conclusions made on aggregate macroeconomic data add to understanding of drinking patterns in Russia as a country with the large territory and great regional variations. Findings can be used for correcting the alcohol policy at the national and regional level.

ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IN SWITZERLAND: FROM THE "POTATO PLAGUE" TO THE DILUTED VODKA

It has long been known that social alcoholism is an indicator of public moral and wellbeing of the state. Alcoholism is no longer the problem of one particular family but a global issue. How can it be otherwise if a drunkard lying on the ground in broad daylight has become a familiar sight, as well as a violent drinker? Not a single day passes without a number of alcohol related crimes. There is no consensus on when and where alcohol first appeared, but alcoholic drinks are known to have already been quite common during pagan festive and funeral feasts or public merrymakings. As a rule, the main raw material for alcoholic beverages (brags, mead, or beer) in those days was honey, so their influence was more invigorating than intoxicating. In ancient times, this phenomenon was, similarly, a source of much trouble, resulting in Pythagoras (about 540–500 BC) and Aristotle (384–322 BC) being the first methodologists of sober upbringing, and both were described by their contemporaries as displaying teetotalling views, which they passed on to their disciples and followers. Taking into consideration all mentioned above, the history of making and drinking alcohol goes back to ancient times. Living conditions has always had an impact on these processes. The article does not aim at a deep and thorough description of the phenomenon of drinking, production and consumption of liquor; it covers some aspects that remain matters of concern even in such a seemingly prosperous country as modern-day Switzerland. Considering various living conditions of those ancient days, modern historians do not see alcoholics of the past as depraved, weak-willed individuals any more. They believe that it is life conditions (no means of subsistence, poverty, ailing economy, crisis in the country) leading people into hopeless predicament that make people want to look for a way to forget about their troubles for a while. In such a situation one needs support in defining the causes that lead some social strata to unfavorable and malignant conditions. Some social groups are more likely to become vulnerable and even tend to turn anti-social if deprived of support. The long history of fight against alcoholism has often proved that alcoholism cannot be destroyed by frontal, permanent and absolute bans of alcoholic beverages. Therefore, it requires an unconditional fulfillment of alcohol products, existing norms and rules, including those that are prohibitive, by all entities of legal relations in the sphere of production and turnover, as well as a change in the structure of alcohol consumption and the cultivation of a drinking culture and other urgent measures in this. Modern society is getting more and more focused on the four principles that make up the basis of alcohol policy in Switzerland: prevention, treatment, harm reduction and repression. The fact that prevention and repression take the first and the last place correspondingly conforms to the alcohol policy in Switzerland: first they try to avoid the problem, then they treat those for whom preventive measures did not work, then they minimize the harm that habitual drinkers can cause, and repressive measures are considered the last resort, prevention being the main principle. Also, one of the ways of preventive struggle against alcoholism, along with public awareness activities and providing decent living conditions, is to raise alcohol taxes. History shows that liberal policy is based on self-responsibility of people and can be effective only where there is a perspective of a decent life, which presupposes a more or less stable economic situation that allows one to believe in social security.

Investigating the Volume and Structure of Alcohol Consumption and Their Impact on Life Expectancy in Russian Regions

This paper aims to investigate differences in the volume and structure of alcohol consumption and then to reveal the impact of alcohol consumption on life expectancy in Russian regions. We consider the contribution of different product to the dynamics of consuming absolute alcohol. Necessary data were collected from the Federal State Statistics Service of Russia from 2008 to 2012. Data on the volume of regional alcohol sales in liters were used as proxy variables because of the shortage of regionally divided statistical data on alcohol consumption. The data on absolute alcohol consumption in each region were obtained from the weighted-average share of spirits in each kind of alcoholic product considered. We estimate panel data models and reveal macroeconomic determinants of alcohol consumption that reflect economic development of regions, living standards, unemployment and degree of urbanization. We find strong positive relationship between alcohol consumption and mortality from external causes and negative with life expectancy in Russian regions. Results are valid for both male and female population.

Revealing Macroeconomic Determinants of Alcohol Abuse and its Influence on Life Expectancy in Russia

This working paper is devoted to researching inter-regional differences in the volume and structure of alcohol consumption. To find the underlying trends and dependences, we tested hypotheses about the influence of various macroeconomic factors on alcohol consumption in Russia. The tests were completed using regression analysis based on official statistical data. Data on the volume of regional alcohol sales in liters were used as proxy variables because of the shortage of regionally divided statistical data on alcohol consumption. The data on absolute alcohol consumption in each region were obtained from the weighted-average share of spirits in each kind of alcoholic product considered. Thus, we also assessed the role of different products in total alcohol consumption.At the end of this working paper we assessed the influence of alcohol abuse on population mortality and life expectancy. Valid results were obtained for both male and female parts of the population.