Gutjahr E, Gmel G. Defining alcohol-related fatal medical conditions for social-cost studies in western societies: an update of the epidemiological evidence.
JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE 2002;
13:239-64. [PMID:
11693450 DOI:
10.1016/s0899-3289(01)00086-4]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To elaborate a state-of-the-art list of alcohol-related fatal medical conditions for future social-cost studies in Western societies.
METHODS
Three major social-cost studies were compared with regard to their respective section on fatal health effects attributable to long-term as well as short-term use of alcohol. On discordant conditions, a systematic literature search was conducted in the Medline and ETOH databases.
RESULTS
There is no consensus between social-cost studies with respect to alcohol-related causes of mortality. Based on the recent epidemiological evidence on alcohol and health, this paper suggests an up-to-date list of fatal medical conditions for which the causal relationship has been established with sufficient scientific evidence. A further investigation is needed, however, to reestimate relative risks by meta-analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
Evaluating new epidemiological evidence regularly is necessary for the purpose of up-to-date social-cost studies.
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