Izvorni znanstveni članak
Alcohol Affordability and Epidemiology of Alcoholism in Belarus
Yury E. Razvodovsky
; Medicinski fakultet Grodno, Bjelorusija
Sažetak
Background: Since the alcohol abuse has numerous adverse
health and social consequences, the consumers’ response to changes in alcohol
affordability is an important issue of alcohol policy debates. Studies
from many countries have shown an inverse relationship between alcohol
prices and alcohol consumption in a population. There are, however, suggestions
that increasing the price of alcohol by rising taxes may have limited
effect on alcohol-related problems, associated with long-term heavy
drinking. Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship
between alcohol affordability and epidemiological parameters of
alcoholism (alcohol dependence prevalence rate and the number of patients
undergoing treatment for alcohol dependence) in post-Soviet Belarus.
Method: With this purpose, trends in epidemiological parameters of alcoholism
and affordability of vodka between 1980 and 2010 were compared.
Results: The time series analysis revealed that 1% increase in vodka
affordability is associated with an increase in the prevalence of alcohol dependence
rate of 0,3%, an increase in the number of patients undergoing
treatment for alcohol dependence of 0,31%. Conclusions: The major conclusion
emerging from this study is that affordability of alcohol is one of the
most important predictors of alcohol-related problems in a population.
These findings provide additional evidence that decreasing the affordability
of alcohol is an effective strategy for reducing alcohol consumption and alcohol-related
damage.
Ključne riječi
alcohol; affordability; alcohol dependence; prevalence; Belarus
Hrčak ID:
136424
URI
Datum izdavanja:
1.7.2013.
Posjeta: 1.626 *