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Nazif-Munoz JI, Pereira CCM, Martinez PA, Najafi Moghaddam V, Domínguez-Cancino K. Analyzing 14-years of suicide rates in Chile: Impact of alcohol policy, domestic violence, and a suicide prevention program. Psychiatry Res 2024; 333:115729. [PMID: 38244283 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Suicide is a major public health problem worldwide with far-reaching effects on families, communities, and societies. Influencing factors range from macro-level interventions like alcohol control policies and suicide prevention programs to individual contributors such as alcohol abuse and domestic violence. This study aimed to examine the relationship between Chile's suicide rate changes from 2002 to 2015 and the Alcohol Act of 2004, a national suicide prevention program implemented in 2007, alcohol abuse, and domestic violence. Assembling a unique longitudinal dataset from Chilean public institutions, the study employed an instrumental variable time-series cross-regional design. Results indicated that the Alcohol Act was not associated with suicide rates, domestic violence exhibited a significant association with increased suicide rates, and the national suicide prevention program was linked to reductions in suicide rates, especially among males. These findings align with research from neighbouring countries, showcasing the efficacy of suicide prevention programs in decreasing suicide rates in Chile. Results highlight the importance of integrating protocols to early-detect domestic violence in suicide prevention programs, as well as the need to further improving alcohol control policies to complement suicide prevention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ignacio Nazif-Munoz
- Service sur les Dépendances, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, 150, Place Charles-Le Moyne, Bureau 200, Longueuil, QC J4K 0A8, Canada.
| | - Camila Corrêa Matias Pereira
- Service sur les Dépendances, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, 150, Place Charles-Le Moyne, Bureau 200, Longueuil, QC J4K 0A8, Canada
| | - Pablo Alberto Martinez
- Service sur les Dépendances, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, 150, Place Charles-Le Moyne, Bureau 200, Longueuil, QC J4K 0A8, Canada
| | - Vahid Najafi Moghaddam
- Service sur les Dépendances, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, 150, Place Charles-Le Moyne, Bureau 200, Longueuil, QC J4K 0A8, Canada
| | - Karen Domínguez-Cancino
- Service sur les Dépendances, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, 150, Place Charles-Le Moyne, Bureau 200, Longueuil, QC J4K 0A8, Canada
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Nesson E, Shrestha V. The effects of false identification laws on underage alcohol-related traffic fatalities. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2021; 30:2264-2283. [PMID: 34219319 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We examine the effects of policies aimed at restricting the use of false identification to purchase alcohol on traffic fatalities involving alcohol-impaired underage drivers. We find that the implementation of policies that incentivize alcohol retailers to adopt ID scanners reduces traffic fatalities from accidents involving 16-18 year old drivers with a BAC >0, but we do not find that similar policies like vertical ID laws lead to statistically significant changes in traffic fatalities involving underage impaired drivers. A back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that if all remaining states passed ID scanner laws, the reduction in underage alcohol-related fatal accidents would generate over $400 million in annual economic benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Nesson
- Department of Economics, Miller College of Business, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, USA
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
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3
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Skorobogatov AS. The effect of alcohol sales restrictions on alcohol poisoning mortality: Evidence from Russia. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2021; 30:1417-1442. [PMID: 33788954 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This paper examines the tough anti-alcohol legislation recently introduced in Russia, which due to regional variation allows it to be used as a natural experiment. The effect of the restricted trading hours on alcoholic poisoning mortality is estimated. To establish a causal link, difference-in-differences and synthetic controls are used. The main conclusion is that the sales restrictions lead to higher alcohol poisoning mortality, which implies that more toxic alcohol surrogates serve as substitutes for commercially available alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander S Skorobogatov
- Department of Economics, National Research University Higher School of Economics, St. Petersburg, Russia
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Kõlves K, Chitty KM, Wardhani R, Värnik A, de Leo D, Witt K. Impact of Alcohol Policies on Suicidal Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E7030. [PMID: 32992979 PMCID: PMC7578997 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17197030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol consumption has been found to be related to suicidal behavior at the individual and population level, but there is lack of literature reviews on the effect of alcohol policies on suicidal behavior. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to conduct a systematic literature review of the impact of alcohol policies at the population level on suicidal behavior and ideation. We searched the Cochrane CENTRAL, Cochrane DARE, EMBASE, Medline, ProQuest, PsycINFO, PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science electronic databases in March 2019. Papers analyzing alcohol policies limiting alcohol use and studying suicidal behaviors as an outcome measure were included; we identified 19 papers. Although the methods and effect sizes varied substantially in the studies, reducing alcohol often led to reduction in suicidal behavior. Ecological-level studies predominantly investigated the effect of restrictions on alcohol availability and increased cost of alcohol, and the majority presented a reduction in suicides across Western and Eastern Europe, as well as the US. The majority of studies were rated as unclear risk of bias for a number of domains due to a lack of clear reporting. Policies targeting harmful alcohol consumption may contribute towards a reduction in suicidal behavior at the population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kairi Kõlves
- Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Suicide Prevention, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4122, Australia; (R.W.); (D.d.L.)
| | - Kate M. Chitty
- Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Research Group, Discipline of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2008, Australia;
| | - Rachmania Wardhani
- Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Suicide Prevention, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4122, Australia; (R.W.); (D.d.L.)
| | - Airi Värnik
- School of Natural Sciences and Health, Tallinn University, 10120 Tallinn, Estonia;
- Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute, 11615 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Diego de Leo
- Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Suicide Prevention, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4122, Australia; (R.W.); (D.d.L.)
| | - Katrina Witt
- Orygen, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia;
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
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Marshall WE. Understanding international road safety disparities: Why is Australia so much safer than the United States? ACCIDENT; ANALYSIS AND PREVENTION 2018; 111:251-265. [PMID: 29248618 DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2017.11.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite similarities to the US in terms of transportation, land use, and culture, Australia kills 5.3 people per 100,000 population on the roads each year, as compared to the US rate of 12.4. Similar trends hold when accounting for distance driven and the number of registered cars. This paper seeks to understand what is behind the road safety disparities between these two countries. The results suggest that a number of inter-related factors seem to play a role in the better road safety outcomes of Australia as compared to the US. This includes Australia's strategies related to seat belt usage and impaired driving as well as their efforts to help curb vehicle speeds and reduce exposure. Design-related differences include a much greater reliance on roundabouts and narrower street cross-sections as well as guidelines that encourage self-enforcing roads. Policy-related differences include stronger and more extensive enforcement programs, restrictive licensing programs, and higher driving costs. Combined with a more urban population and multimodal infrastructure, Australia tends to discourage driving mileage and exposure while encouraging safer modes of transportation such as transit, at least more so than in most of the US. Australia also enacted their version of Vision Zero - called the Safe System Approach - more than a decade before similar policies began cropping up in US cities. While it is difficult to attribute recent road safety successes to any specific policy, Australia continues to expand their lead on the US in terms of safety outcomes and is a road safety example worthy of consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley E Marshall
- University of Colorado Denver, Department of Civil Engineering, 1200 Larimer Street, Denver, CO, 80217, United States; University of Sydney, Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies, 378 Abercrombie Street, NSW, 2006, Australia.
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Xuan Z, Naimi TS, Kaplan MS, Bagge CL, Few LR, Maisto S, Saitz R, Freeman R. Alcohol Policies and Suicide: A Review of the Literature. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2016; 40:2043-2055. [PMID: 27618526 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Both intoxication and chronic heavy alcohol use are associated with suicide. There is extensive population-level evidence linking per capita alcohol consumption with suicide. While alcohol policies can reduce excessive alcohol consumption, the relationship between alcohol policies and suicide warrants a critical review of the literature. This review summarizes the associations between various types of alcohol policies and suicide, both in the United States and internationally, as presented in English-language literature published between 1999 and 2014. Study designs, methodological challenges, and limitations in ascertaining the associations are discussed. Because of the substantial between-states variation in alcohol policies, U.S.-based studies contributed substantially to the literature. Repeated cross-sectional designs at both the ecological level and decedent level were common among U.S.-based studies. Non-U.S. studies often used time series data to evaluate pre-post comparisons of a hybrid set of policy changes. Although inconsistency remained, the published literature in general supported the protective effect of restrictive alcohol policies on reducing suicide as well as the decreased level of alcohol involvement among suicide decedents. Common limitations included measurement and selection bias and a focus on effects of a limited number of alcohol policies without accounting for other alcohol policies. This review summarizes a number of studies that suggest restrictive alcohol policies may contribute to suicide prevention on a general population level and to a reduction of alcohol involvement among suicide deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziming Xuan
- Department of Community Health Sciences , Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Timothy S Naimi
- Section of General Internal Medicine , Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mark S Kaplan
- Department of Social Welfare, Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Courtney L Bagge
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi
| | - Lauren R Few
- Department of Psychiatry , Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Stephen Maisto
- Department of Psychology , Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Richard Saitz
- Department of Community Health Sciences , Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Robert Freeman
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism , NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
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Fitterer JL, Nelson TA, Stockwell T. A Review of Existing Studies Reporting the Negative Effects of Alcohol Access and Positive Effects of Alcohol Control Policies on Interpersonal Violence. Front Public Health 2015; 3:253. [PMID: 26636055 PMCID: PMC4644794 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2015.00253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol consumption often leads to elevated rates of violence yet alcohol access policies continue to relax across the globe. Our review establishes the extent alcohol policy can moderate violent crime through alcohol availability restrictions. Results were informed from comprehensive selection of peer-reviewed journals from 1950 to October 2015. Our search identified 87 relevant studies on alcohol access and violence conducted across 12 countries. Seventeen studies included quasi-control design, and 23 conducted intervention analysis. Seventy-one (82%) reported a significant relationship between alcohol access and violent offenses. Alcohol outlet studies reported the greatest percentage of significant results (93%), with trading hours (63%), and alcohol price following (58%). Results from baseline studies indicated the effectiveness of increasing the price of commonly consumed alcohol, restricting the hours of alcohol trading, and limiting the number of alcohol outlets per region to prevent violent offenses. Unclear are the effects of tax reductions, restriction of on-premises re-entry, and different outlet types on violent crime. Further, the generalization of statistics over broad areas and the low number of control/intervention studies poses some concern for confounding or correlated effects on study results, and amount of information for local-level prevention of interpersonal violence. Future studies should focus on gathering longitudinal data, validating models, limiting crime data to peak drinking days and times, and wherever possible collecting the joint distribution between violent crime, intoxication, and place. A greater uptake of local-level analysis will benefit studies comparing the influence of multiple alcohol establishment types by relating the location of a crime to establishment proximity. Despite, some uncertainties particular studies showed that even modest policy changes, such as 1% increases in alcohol price, 1 h changes to closing times, and limiting establishment densities to <25 outlets per postal code substantively reduce violent crime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Fitterer
- Spatial Pattern Analysis and Research Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Victoria , Victoria, BC , Canada
| | - Trisalyn A Nelson
- Spatial Pattern Analysis and Research Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Victoria , Victoria, BC , Canada
| | - Timothy Stockwell
- Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia, Psychology Department, University of Victoria , Victoria, BC , Canada
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Fitterer JL, Nelson TA. A Review of the Statistical and Quantitative Methods Used to Study Alcohol-Attributable Crime. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0139344. [PMID: 26418016 PMCID: PMC4587911 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Modelling the relationship between alcohol consumption and crime generates new knowledge for crime prevention strategies. Advances in data, particularly data with spatial and temporal attributes, have led to a growing suite of applied methods for modelling. In support of alcohol and crime researchers we synthesized and critiqued existing methods of spatially and quantitatively modelling the effects of alcohol exposure on crime to aid method selection, and identify new opportunities for analysis strategies. We searched the alcohol-crime literature from 1950 to January 2014. Analyses that statistically evaluated or mapped the association between alcohol and crime were included. For modelling purposes, crime data were most often derived from generalized police reports, aggregated to large spatial units such as census tracts or postal codes, and standardized by residential population data. Sixty-eight of the 90 selected studies included geospatial data of which 48 used cross-sectional datasets. Regression was the prominent modelling choice (n = 78) though dependent on data many variations existed. There are opportunities to improve information for alcohol-attributable crime prevention by using alternative population data to standardize crime rates, sourcing crime information from non-traditional platforms (social media), increasing the number of panel studies, and conducting analysis at the local level (neighbourhood, block, or point). Due to the spatio-temporal advances in crime data, we expect a continued uptake of flexible Bayesian hierarchical modelling, a greater inclusion of spatial-temporal point pattern analysis, and shift toward prospective (forecast) modelling over small areas (e.g., blocks).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L. Fitterer
- Spatial Pattern Analysis and Research Lab, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Trisalyn A. Nelson
- Spatial Pattern Analysis and Research Lab, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Wagenaar AC, Livingston MD, Staras SS. Effects of a 2009 Illinois Alcohol Tax Increase on Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes. Am J Public Health 2015; 105:1880-5. [PMID: 25790414 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2014.302428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We examined the effects of a 2009 increase in alcohol taxes in Illinois on alcohol-related fatal motor vehicle crashes. METHODS We used an interrupted time-series design, with intrastate and cross-state comparisons and measurement derived from driver alcohol test results, for 104 months before and 28 months after enactment. Our analyses used autoregressive moving average and generalized linear mixed Poisson models. We examined both population-wide effects and stratifications by alcohol level, age, gender, and race. RESULTS Fatal alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes declined 9.9 per month after the tax increase, a 26% reduction. The effect was similar for alcohol-impaired drivers with positive alcohol levels lower than 0.15 grams per deciliter (-22%) and drivers with very high alcohol levels of 0.15 or more (-25%). Drivers younger than 30 years showed larger declines (-37%) than those aged 30 years and older (-23%), but gender and race stratifications did not significantly differ. CONCLUSIONS Increases in alcohol excise taxes, such as the 2009 Illinois act, could save thousands of lives yearly across the United States as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce alcohol-impaired driving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C Wagenaar
- All of the authors are with the Department of Health Outcomes and Policy and the Institute for Child Health Policy, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville
| | - Melvin D Livingston
- All of the authors are with the Department of Health Outcomes and Policy and the Institute for Child Health Policy, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville
| | - Stephanie S Staras
- All of the authors are with the Department of Health Outcomes and Policy and the Institute for Child Health Policy, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville
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