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

Road traffic mortality attributable to alcohol in Russia

Background: The road accident mortality rates in Russia are the highest in Europe. The growing evidence suggests that drunk driving is the leading cause of fatal road accidents in Russia. ^ Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of changes in aggregate-level alcohol consumption on fatal road traffic accidents in Russia between 1970 and 2015. Methods: Age-standardized sex-specific male and female traffic accidents mortality data for the period 1970-2015 and data on alcohol consumption per capita were analyzed by means ARIMA (autoregressive integrated moving average) time series analysis. Results: Alcohol consumption was significantly associated with both male and female traffic accidents mortality rates: a 1 liter increase in overall alcohol consumption would result in a 3.5% increase in the male accident mortality rate and in 2.1% increase in the female mortality rate. The results of the analysis suggest that 38.3% of all male accident deaths and 25.2% female deaths in Russia could be attributed to alcohol. Conclusions: This is the first time-series analysis of overall level of alcohol consumption and road traffic mortality rates in Russia, which has shown that population drinking, is the strong predictor of road traffic fatalities at the aggregate level

Affordability of Alcohol and Alcohol-Related Outcomes in Russia

Vodka, Alcohol-related outcomes, RussiaBackground: Studies from many countries have shown an inverse relationship between alcohol prices and alcohol drinking and concluded that economic availability (affordability) of alcohol is one of the most important predictors of alcohol-related harm. Objective: The aim of the present study was to estimate the relationship between the affordability of vodka and alcohol-related outcomes in post-Soviet Russia. Methods: Trends in the affordability of vodka and mortality from external causes (violent mortality), fatal alcohol poisonings and incidence of alcoholic psychoses between 1991 and 201 5 were compared. Results: A Spearman correlation analysis suggests a statistically significant negative association between the affordability of vodka and violent mortality (r = 0.51; p<0.009), including fatal alcohol poisonings (r =0.49; p<0.015). The association between vodka affordability and alcoholic psychoses incidence rates wos also negative; but, statistically not significant (r = 0.03; p<0.895). Conclusions: The results from this study suggest an inverse aggregate-level relationship between vodka affordability and alcohol-related outcomes in Russia. These findings point to the complex relationship between alcohol affordability and alcohol-related outcomes

Economic Availability of Alcohol and Alcoholism Incidence Rates in Russia

Affordability; Vodka; Alcoholism incidence rate; RussiaBackground: Russia has one of the highest incidence of alcoholism (alcohol dependence) in Europe, which may be explained by high overall alcohol consumption and prevalence of binge drinking of vodka. There is evidence suggesting that alcohol-related morbidity and mortality responds to changes in the economic availability (affordability) of alcohol. Objective: The aim of the present study was to estimate the relationship between affordability of vodka and alcoholism incidence rate in post-Soviet Russia. Method: Trends in alcoholism incidence rate and affordability of vodka between 1991 and 2015 were compared. Results: A Spearman correlation analysis suggests a statistically significant negative association between the two variables (r=-0.53; p<0.007). Conclusions: The results from this study suggest an inverse aggregate-level relationship between vodka affordability and alcoholism incidence rate in Russia. These findings point to the complex relationship between alcohol affordability and long-term alcohol-related outcomes. The major conclusion emerging from this study is that the estimation of the relationship between alcohol affordability and alcohol-related harm needs to take into account multiple confounding variables

Fatal Alcohol Poisonings and Poisonings by Other Toxic Substances in Russia

Fatal alcohol poisonings; Poisonings by other toxic,Background: It is widely believed that one of the negative consequences of Gorbachev's anti-alcohol campaign in Russia in the mid-1980s was the dramatic growth in the number of deaths from poisonings by non-beverage aicohol surrogates. Objective: This paper aims to clarify this important issue by analyzing the trends in fatal alcohol poisonings and poisonings by other toxic substances in Russia between 1956 and 2005. Methods: To examine the relation between fatal alcohol poisonings and poisonings by other toxic substances trends across the study period a time series analysis was performed using the statistical package "Statistica 12. StatSoft". Results: The alcohol poisonings mortality rates for both sexes dropped sharply between 1984 and 1988. Substantial reduction was also recorded in the number of deaths from poisonings by other toxic substances in the mid-1980s. According to the results of time-series analysis there was a positive and statistically significant association between fatal poisonings by alcohol and poisonings by other toxic substances at the population level. Conclusion: The official statistical data do not support the claims that the Gorbachev's anti-alcohol campaign contributed to the dramatic growth in fatal poisonings by non-beverage aicohol surrogates

Alcohol Attributable Fraction of Suicide Mortality

Alcohol, suicide, ARIMA time series analysis, Belarus, 1980-2010.Background: Suicide is one of the main causes ofpremature mortality in Belarus, brining considerable losses of human lives. There is strong evidence of a crucial role of alcohol in explanation of high suicide rate and its profound fluctuations over the past decades in this country. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between the overall alcohol consumption and suicide mortality rates in Belarus. Method: Trends in alcohol consumption per capita and age-standardized male and female suicide rates from 1980 to 2010 were analyzed employing autoregressive integrated moving average (A RIM A) time series analysis. Results: Alcohol consumption is significantly associated with both male and female suicide rates. The results suggest that 1 litre increase in overall alcohol consumption would result in a 7.4% increase in the male suicide rates and 3.2% increase in female suicide rates. The estimated effects of alcohol consumption on the agespecific suicide rates for men ranging from 0.024 (15-29 age group) to 0.082 (30-44 and 45-59 age groups). The estimated effects of alcohol consumption on age specific rates for women were positive for age groups 15-29 (0.017), 30-44 (0.047), 45-59 (0.039) and 60-74 (0.017). Conclusions: The outcome of this study provides indirect support for the hypothesis that alcohol played a crucial role in the fluctuation in suicide mortality rate in Belarus during recent decades

Alcohol Consumption and Gender Gap in All-cause Mortality in Russia

Alcohol consumption; Gender gap; All-cause mortality;RussiaBackground: There is extensive research literature that claims women have a mortality advantage compared to men in all developed countries. Russia has one of the highest differences in mortality between the sexes when compared to European Union countries. Objective: This study aims to test the hypothesis of alcohol consumption as a risk factor in regards to the gender gap in all-cause mortality in Russia. Method: Time-series Analytical Modelling Techniques (ARIMA) was used to examine the relation between the gender gap in all-cause mortality and trends in alcohol consumption per capita. Results: The results of the analysis also suggest that 54.6% of the difference in all-cause mortality rates between males and females in Russia could be attributed to alcohol. Conclusion: The outcomes of this study provide Indirect support for the hypothesis that alcohol is a major contributor to the high gender gap in all-cause mortality and its dramatic fluctuations in Russia during the last few decades

Alcohol-related problems in Russia and Belarus: A comparative analysis of trends

Background: "the former Soviet Republics Russia and Belarus have one of the highest alcohol-related problems rates in the world. Aims: To estimate the aggregate level effect of alcohol on the alcohol-related morbidity and mortality rates in Russia and Belarus. Method: Trends in alcohol-related morbidity and mortality rates and alcohol sales per capita from 1970 to 2013 in Russia and Belarus were analyzed employing: an ARIMA analysis. Results: Alcohol sales is a statistically significant associated with alcohol poisoning mortality, liver cirrhosis mortality and alcoholic psychoses incidence rates in both countries. Conclusion: This comparative time-series analysis highlighted close temporal association between alcohol-related morbidity and mortality rates and population drinking in Russia and Belarus.

Affordability of vodka aсчndliver cirrhosis mortality rates in Russia

affordability, vodka, liver cirrhosis mortality, Russia.Background: There is evidence that the affordability of alcohol is one of the most important predictor of thedramatic fluctuations in Russian mortality rates during the last decades. Objective: The aim of the present study was to estimate the relationship between affordability of vodka and livercirrhosis mortality rates in post-Soviet Russia. Method: Trends in mortality from liver cirrhosis and affordability of vodka between 1991 and 2015 werecompared. Results: The time series analysis suggests a close link between vodka affordability and liver cirrhosis mortalityrates in Russia: a 1% increase in affordability of vodka implies a 0.5% increase in male mortality rate and a1.68% increase in female mortality rate. Conclusions: The major conclusion emerging from this study is thataffordability of alcohol is one of the most important predictor of liver cirrhosis mortality. These findingsprovide additional evidence that decreasing in affordability of alcohol is an effective strategy for reducingalcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm

Fatal Alcohol Poisonings and Traffic Accidents in Russia

fatal alcohol poisonings, traffic accidents, time series analysis, Russia, 1970-2013.Russia has one of the world's highest road traffic fatality rates. There is common believe that high level of alcohol consumption in conjunction with binge drinking pattern is a major determinant of high traffic accidents mortality rates in this country. Objective: The aim of the present study was to estimate the aggregate level effect of binge drinking on the traffic accidents mortality rates in Russia. Method: Age-standardized sex-specific male and female fatal alcohol poisonings (as a proxy for binge drinking) and traffic accidents mortality data for the period 1970-2013 were analyzed by means time series analysis. The results of the analysis indicate the presence of a statistically significant association between the two time series for males and for females. Conclusions: The outcomes of this study provide support for the hypothesis that binge drinking is an important contributor to the traffic accidents mortality rates in Russian Federation. The findings from the present study have important implications as regards traffic accidents mortality prevention indicating that a restrictive alcohol policy can be considered as an effective measure of prevention in countries where higher rate of alcohol consumption conjunct with binge drinking pattern