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Myran DT, Friesen E, Talarico R, Gaudreault A, Taljaard M, Hobin E, Smith BT, Schwartz N, Giesbrecht N, Crépault JF, Tanuseputro P, Manuel DG. The association between alcohol retail access and health care visits attributable to alcohol for individuals with and without a history of alcohol-related health-care use. Addiction 2024. [PMID: 38804474 DOI: 10.1111/add.16566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Alcohol retail access is associated with alcohol use and related harms. This study measured whether this association differs for people with and without heavy and disordered patterns of alcohol use. DESIGN The study used a repeated cross-sectional analysis of health administrative databases. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS/CASES All residents of Ontario, Canada aged 10-105 years with universal health coverage (n = 10 677 604 in 2013) were included in the analysis. MEASUREMENTS Quarterly rates of emergency department (ED) and outpatient visits attributable to alcohol in 464 geographic regions between 2013 and 2019 were measured. Quarterly off-premises alcohol retail access scores were calculated (average drive to the closest seven stores) for each geographic region. Mixed-effect linear regression models adjusted for area-level socio-demographic covariates were used to examine associations between deciles of alcohol retail access and health-care visits attributable to alcohol. Stratified analyses were run for individuals with and without prior alcohol-attributable health-care use in the past 2 years. FINDINGS We included 437 707 ED visits and 505 271 outpatient visits attributable to alcohol. After adjustment, rates of ED visits were 39% higher [rate ratio (RR) = 1.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.20-1.61] and rates of outpatient visits were 49% higher (RR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.26-1.75) in the highest versus lowest decile of alcohol access. There was a positive association between alcohol access and outpatient visits attributable to alcohol for individuals without prior health-care attributable to alcohol (RR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.39-1.95 for the highest to lowest decile of alcohol access) but not for individuals with prior health-care attributable to alcohol (RR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.90-1.30). There was a positive association between alcohol access and ED visits attributable to alcohol for individuals with and without prior health-care for alcohol for ED visits. CONCLUSION In Ontario, Canada, greater alcohol retail access appears to be associated with higher rates of emergency department (ED) and outpatient health-care visits attributable to alcohol. Individuals without prior health-care for alcohol may be more susceptible to greater alcohol retail access for outpatient but not ED visits attributable to alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T Myran
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- ICES uOttawa, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erik Friesen
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robert Talarico
- ICES uOttawa, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Adrienne Gaudreault
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Monica Taljaard
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erin Hobin
- Health Promotion, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brendan T Smith
- Health Promotion, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Naomi Schwartz
- Health Promotion, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Norman Giesbrecht
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jean-François Crépault
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peter Tanuseputro
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- ICES uOttawa, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Douglas G Manuel
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- ICES uOttawa, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Kim KV, Rehm J, Kaplan MS, Lange S. Relationship Between Alcohol Use and Firearm-Involved Suicide: Findings From the National Violent Death Reporting System, 2003-2020. Am J Prev Med 2024; 66:832-839. [PMID: 38000484 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Acute alcohol intoxication is a contributing factor in firearm-involved suicides. However, knowledge of the relationship between alcohol intoxication and firearm-involved suicide by age and sex (defined herein as the biological sex of the decedent) is limited. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the sex- and age group-specific relationship between alcohol intoxication and firearm-involved suicide. METHODS Data from the National Violent Death Reporting System, 2003-2020, on suicide decedents (18+ years of age) were utilized. Age-group- and sex-specific multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were conducted. Statistical analyses were performed in 2023. RESULTS Alcohol intoxication (i.e., having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 g/dL or more) was significantly associated with using a firearm as the method of suicide for young (18-34 years; relative risk (RR)=1.31, 95% CI: 1.22-1.40) and middle-aged (35-64 years; RR=1.34, 95% CI: 1.27-1.39) females but not among older females (65+ years; RR=1.01, 95% CI: 0.87-1.17). Among males, the association was significant for all age-groups (young: RR=1.28, 95% CI: 1.25-1.30; middle-aged: RR=1.17, 95% CI: 1.15-1.19; and older: RR=1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07). CONCLUSIONS Among males of all ages and young and middle-aged females, alcohol intoxication was associated with increased risk of suicide by firearm-an extremely lethal method that accounts for a majority of suicides in the U.S.-compared to their non-intoxicated counterparts. Interventions targeting excessive alcohol consumption may be effective in reducing suicide mortality rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kawon V Kim
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jürgen Rehm
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mark S Kaplan
- Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Shannon Lange
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Retat L, Webber L, Jepsen P, Martin A, Cortez-Pinto H, Lazarus JV, Negro F, Mitchyn M, Guzek J, Card-Gowers J, Graff H, Nahon P, Sheron N, Sagi SZ, Buti M. Preventing liver disease with policy measures to tackle alcohol consumption and obesity: The HEPAHEALTH II study. J Hepatol 2024; 80:543-552. [PMID: 38092157 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.11.021] [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: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Chronic liver disease (CLD) causes 1.8% of all deaths in Europe, many of them from liver cancer. We estimated the impact of several policy interventions in France, the Netherlands, and Romania. METHODS We used a validated microsimulation model to assess seven different policy scenarios in 2022-2030: a minimum unit price (MUP) of alcohol of €0.70 or €1, a volumetric alcohol tax, a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax, food marketing restrictions, plus two different combinations of these policies compared against current policies (the 'inaction' scenario). RESULTS All policies reduced the burden of CLD and liver cancer. The largest impact was observed for a MUP of €1, which by 2030 would reduce the cumulative incidence of CLD by between 7.1% to 7.3% in France, the Netherlands, and Romania compared with inaction. For liver cancer, the corresponding reductions in cumulative incidence were between 4.8% to 5.8%. Implementing a package containing a MUP of €0.70, a volumetric alcohol tax, and an SSB tax would reduce the cumulative incidence of CLD by between 4.29% to 4.71% and of liver cancer by between 3.47% to 3.95% in France, the Netherlands, and Romania. The total predicted reduction in healthcare costs by 2030 was greatest with the €1 MUP scenario, with a reduction for liver cancer costs of €8.18M and €612.49M in the Netherlands and France, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Policy measures tackling primary risk factors for CLD and liver cancer, such as the implementation of a MUP of €1 and/or a MUP of €0.70 plus SSB tax could markedly reduce the number of Europeans with CLD or liver cancer. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS Policymakers must be aware that alcohol and obesity are the two leading risk factors for chronic liver disease and liver cancer in Europe and both are expected to increase in the future if no policy interventions are made. This study assessed the potential of different public health policy measures to mitigate the impact of alcohol consumption and obesity on the general population in three European countries: France, the Netherlands, and Romania. The findings support introducing a €1 minimum unit price for alcohol to reduce the burden of chronic liver disease. In addition, the study shows the importance of targeting multiple drivers of alcohol consumption and obesogenic products simultaneously via a harmonized fiscal policy framework, to complement efforts being made within health systems. These findings should encourage policymakers to introduce such policy measures across Europe to reduce the burden of liver disease. The modeling methods used in this study can assist in structuring similar modeling in other regions to expand on this study's findings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Peter Jepsen
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Helena Cortez-Pinto
- Clínica Universitária de Gastrenterologia, Centro de Nutrição e Metabolismo, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH), New York, NY, USA
| | - Francesco Negro
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Pierre Nahon
- AP-HP, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Seine Saint-Denis, Liver Unit, Bobigny; Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Centre de recherche des Cordeliers, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Nick Sheron
- The Foundation for Liver Research, The Institute of Hepatology, London111 Coldharbour Lane, London, SE5 9NT, UK
| | | | - Maria Buti
- Liver Unit, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, and CIBEREHD del Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Barcelona, Spain.
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Abstract
Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. Epidemiological trends indicate recent and predicted increases in the burden of disease. Disease progression is driven by continued alcohol exposure on a background of genetic predisposition together with environmental cofactors. Most individuals present with advanced disease despite a long history of excessive alcohol consumption and multiple missed opportunities to intervene. Increasing evidence supports the use of non-invasive tests to screen for and identify disease at earlier stages. There is a definite role for public health measures to reduce the overall burden of disease. At an individual level, however, the ability to influence subsequent disease course by modifying alcohol consumption or the underlying pathogenic mechanisms remains limited due to a comparative lack of effective, disease-modifying medical interventions. Abstinence from alcohol is the key determinant of outcome in established ALD and the cornerstone of clinical management. In those with decompensated ALD, liver transplant has a clear role. There is consensus that abstinence from alcohol for an arbitrary period should not be the sole determinant in a decision to transplant. An increasing understanding of the mechanisms by which alcohol causes liver disease in susceptible individuals offers the prospect of new therapeutic targets for disease-modifying drugs. Successful translation will require significant public and private investment in a disease area which has traditionally been underfunded when compared to its overall prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Thursz
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Rehm J, Badaras R, Ferreira-Borges C, Galkus L, Gostautaite Midttun N, Gobiņa I, Janik-Koncewicz K, Jasilionis D, Jiang H, Kim KV, Lange S, Liutkutė-Gumarov V, Manthey J, Miščikienė L, Neufeld M, Petkevičienė J, Radišauskas R, Reile R, Room R, Stoppel R, Tamutienė I, Tran A, Trišauskė J, Zatoński M, Zatoński WA, Zurlytė I, Štelemėkas M. Impact of the WHO "best buys" for alcohol policy on consumption and health in the Baltic countries and Poland 2000-2020. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. EUROPE 2023; 33:100704. [PMID: 37953993 PMCID: PMC10636269 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use is a major risk factor for burden of disease. This narrative review aims to document the effects of major alcohol control policies, in particular taxation increases and availability restrictions in the three Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) between 2000 and 2020. These measures have been successful in curbing alcohol sales, in general without increasing consumption of alcoholic beverages from unrecorded sources; although for more recent changes this may have been partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, findings from time-series analyses suggest improved health, measured as reductions in all-cause and alcohol-attributable mortality, as well as narrowing absolute mortality inequalities between lower and higher educated groups. For most outcomes, there were sex differences observed, with alcohol control policies more strongly affecting males. In contrast to this successful path, alcohol control policies were mostly dismantled in the neighbouring country of Poland, resulting in a rising death toll due to liver cirrhosis and other alcohol-attributable deaths. The natural experiment in this region of high-income European countries with high consumption levels highlights the importance of effective alcohol control policies for improving population health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Rehm
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S1, Canada
- World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization Collaborating Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S1, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, Hamburg 20246, Germany
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1P8, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King’s College Circle, Room 2374, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada
- Program on Substance Abuse & WHO CC, Public Health Agency of Catalonia, 81-95 Roc Boronat St., Barcelona 08005, Spain
| | - Robertas Badaras
- Faculty of Medicine, Clinic of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Centre of Toxicology, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio g. 21, Vilnius LT-03101, Lithuania
| | - Carina Ferreira-Borges
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, UN City, Marmorvej 5, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Lukas Galkus
- Faculty of Public Health, Health Research Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, Kaunas 47181, Lithuania
| | - Nijole Gostautaite Midttun
- Lithuanian Tobacco and Alcohol Control Coalition, Stikliu 8, Vilnius 01131, Lithuania
- Mental Health Initiative, Teatro 3-10, Vilnius 03107, Lithuania
| | - Inese Gobiņa
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Riga Stradiņš University, Kronvalda Boulevard 9, Riga LV-1010, Latvia
- Institute of Public Health, Riga Stradiņš University, Kronvalda Boulevard 9, Riga LV-1010, Latvia
| | - Kinga Janik-Koncewicz
- Institute – European Observatory of Health Inequalities, Calisia University, Nowy Swiat 4, Kalisz 62-800, Poland
- Health Promotion Foundation, Mszczonowska 51, Nadarzyn 05-830, Poland
| | - Domantas Jasilionis
- Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Laboratory of Demographic Data, Konrad-Zuse-Str. 1, Rostock 18057, Germany
- Vytautas Magnus University, Demographic Research Centre, Jonavos g. 66, Kaunas 44191, Lithuania
| | - Huan Jiang
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S1, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1P8, Canada
| | - Kawon Victoria Kim
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S1, Canada
| | - Shannon Lange
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S1, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King’s College Circle, Room 2374, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Vaida Liutkutė-Gumarov
- Faculty of Public Health, Health Research Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, Kaunas 47181, Lithuania
| | - Jakob Manthey
- Faculty of Medicine, Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistraße 52, Hamburg 20246, Germany
- Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstraße 10, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Laura Miščikienė
- Faculty of Public Health, Health Research Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, Kaunas 47181, Lithuania
| | - Maria Neufeld
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, UN City, Marmorvej 5, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Janina Petkevičienė
- Faculty of Public Health, Health Research Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, Kaunas 47181, Lithuania
- Faculty of Public Health, Department of Preventive Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, Kaunas 47181, Lithuania
| | - Ričardas Radišauskas
- Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, Kaunas 47181, Lithuania
- Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Sukileliu Ave. 15, Kaunas 50162, Lithuania
| | - Rainer Reile
- Faculty of Public Health, Health Research Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, Kaunas 47181, Lithuania
- Department for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, National Institute for Health Development, Hiiu 42, Tallinn 11619, Estonia
| | - Robin Room
- Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
- Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs, Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden
| | - Relika Stoppel
- Faculty of Public Health, Health Research Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, Kaunas 47181, Lithuania
| | - Ilona Tamutienė
- Faculty of Public Health, Health Research Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, Kaunas 47181, Lithuania
- Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy at Vytautas Magnus University, V.Putvinskio Str 23, Kaunas LT-44243, Lithuania
| | - Alexander Tran
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S1, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Justina Trišauskė
- Faculty of Public Health, Health Research Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, Kaunas 47181, Lithuania
| | - Mateusz Zatoński
- Institute – European Observatory of Health Inequalities, Calisia University, Nowy Swiat 4, Kalisz 62-800, Poland
| | - Witold A. Zatoński
- Institute – European Observatory of Health Inequalities, Calisia University, Nowy Swiat 4, Kalisz 62-800, Poland
- Health Promotion Foundation, Mszczonowska 51, Nadarzyn 05-830, Poland
| | - Ingrida Zurlytė
- WHO Country Office Lithuania, A. Jakšto g. 12, LT-01105 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Mindaugas Štelemėkas
- Faculty of Public Health, Health Research Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, Kaunas 47181, Lithuania
- Faculty of Public Health, Department of Preventive Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, Kaunas 47181, Lithuania
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Holmes J. Is minimum unit pricing for alcohol having the intended effects on alcohol consumption in Scotland? Addiction 2023; 118:1609-1616. [PMID: 36905242 DOI: 10.1111/add.16185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The Scottish Government introduced minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol on 1 May 2018. This means retailers in Scotland cannot sell alcohol to consumers for less than £0.50 per unit (1 UK unit = 8 g ethanol). The Government intended the policy to increase the price of cheap alcohol, cut alcohol consumption overall and particularly among those drinking at hazardous or harmful levels, and ultimately reduce alcohol-related harm. This paper aims to summarise and assess the evidence to date evaluating the impact of MUP on alcohol consumption and related behaviours in Scotland. ARGUMENT Evidence from analyses of population-level sales data suggest, all else being equal, MUP reduced the volume of alcohol sold in Scotland by ~ 3.0% to 3.5%, with the largest reductions affecting cider and spirits sales. Analyses of two time series datasets on household-level alcohol purchasing and individual-level alcohol consumption suggest reductions in purchasing and consumption among those drinking at hazardous and harmful levels, but offer conflicting results for those drinking at the most harmful levels. These subgroup analyses are methodologically robust, but the underlying datasets have important limitations as they rely on non-random sampling strategies. Further studies identified no clear evidence of reduced alcohol consumption among those with alcohol dependence or those presenting to emergency departments and sexual health clinics, some evidence of increased financial strain among people with dependence and no evidence of wider negative outcomes arising from changes in alcohol consumption behaviours. CONCLUSIONS Minimum unit pricing for alcohol in Scotland has led to reduced consumption, including among heavier drinkers. However, there is uncertainty regarding its impact on those at greatest risk and some limited evidence of negative outcomes, specifically financial strain, among people with alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Holmes
- School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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7
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Stevely AK, Mackay D, Alava MH, Brennan A, Meier PS, Sasso A, Holmes J. Evaluating the effects of minimum unit pricing in Scotland on the prevalence of harmful drinking: a controlled interrupted time series analysis. Public Health 2023; 220:43-49. [PMID: 37263177 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2023.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In May 2018, the Scottish Government introduced a minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol of £0.50 (1 UK unit = 8 g ethanol) to reduce alcohol consumption, particularly among people drinking at harmful levels. This study aimed to evaluate MUP's impact on the prevalence of harmful drinking among adults in Scotland. STUDY DESIGN This was a controlled interrupted monthly time series analysis of repeat cross-sectional data collected via 1-week drinking diaries from adult drinkers in Scotland (N = 38,674) and Northern England (N = 71,687) between January 2009 and February 2020. METHODS The primary outcome was the proportion of drinkers consuming at harmful levels (>50 [men] or >35 [women] units in diary week). The secondary outcomes included the proportion of drinkers consuming at hazardous (≥14-50 [men] or ≥14-35 [women] units) and moderate (<14 units) levels and measures of beverage preferences and drinking patterns. Analyses also examined the prevalence of harmful drinking in key subgroups. RESULTS There was no significant change in the proportion of drinkers consuming at harmful levels (β = +0.6 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -1.1, +2.3) or moderate levels (β = +1.4 percentage points; 95% confidence interval = -1.1, +3.8) after the introduction of MUP. The proportion consuming at hazardous levels fell significantly by 3.5 percentage points (95% CI = -5.4, -1.7). There were no significant changes in other secondary outcomes or in the subgroup analyses after correction for multiple testing. CONCLUSIONS Introducing MUP in Scotland was not associated with reductions in the proportion of drinkers consuming at harmful levels but did reduce the prevalence of hazardous drinking. This adds to previous evidence that MUP reduced overall alcohol consumption in Scotland and consumption among those drinking above moderate levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Stevely
- Sheffield Alcohol Research Group, School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, UK.
| | - D Mackay
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, UK
| | - M H Alava
- Health Economics and Decision Science, School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, UK
| | - A Brennan
- Health Economics and Decision Science, School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, UK
| | - P S Meier
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - A Sasso
- Sheffield Alcohol Research Group, School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, UK; European Commission, Joint Research Center (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - J Holmes
- Sheffield Alcohol Research Group, School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, UK
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8
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Kilian C, Lemp JM, Llamosas-Falcón L, Carr T, Ye Y, Kerr WC, Mulia N, Puka K, Lasserre AM, Bright S, Rehm J, Probst C. Reducing alcohol use through alcohol control policies in the general population and population subgroups: a systematic review and meta-analysis. EClinicalMedicine 2023; 59:101996. [PMID: 37256096 PMCID: PMC10225668 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
We estimate the effects of alcohol taxation, minimum unit pricing (MUP), and restricted temporal availability on overall alcohol consumption and review their differential impact across sociodemographic groups. Web of Science, Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, and EconLit were searched on 08/12/2022 and 09/26/2022 for studies on newly introduced or changed alcohol policies published between 2000 and 2022 (Prospero registration: CRD42022339791). We combined data using random-effects meta-analyses. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Of 1887 reports, 36 were eligible. Doubling alcohol taxes or introducing MUP (Int$ 0.90/10 g of pure alcohol) reduced consumption by 10% (for taxation: 95% prediction intervals [PI]: -18.5%, -1.2%; for MUP: 95% PI: -28.2%, 5.8%), restricting alcohol sales by one day a week reduced consumption by 3.6% (95% PI: -7.2%, -0.1%). Substantial between-study heterogeneity contributes to high levels of uncertainty and must be considered in interpretation. Pricing policies resulted in greater consumption changes among low-income alcohol users, while results were inconclusive for other socioeconomic indicators, gender, and racial and ethnic groups. Research is needed on the differential impact of alcohol policies, particularly for groups bearing a disproportionate alcohol-attributable health burden. Funding Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01AA028009.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Kilian
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Julia M. Lemp
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Laura Llamosas-Falcón
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tessa Carr
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yu Ye
- Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, CA, United States
| | - William C. Kerr
- Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, CA, United States
| | - Nina Mulia
- Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, CA, United States
| | - Klajdi Puka
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Aurélie M. Lasserre
- Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sophie Bright
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England, UK
| | - Jürgen Rehm
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health & Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Program on Substance Abuse & WHO Collaborating Centre, Public Health Agency of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Charlotte Probst
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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9
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Wyper GMA, Mackay DF, Fraser C, Lewsey J, Robinson M, Beeston C, Giles L. Evaluating the impact of alcohol minimum unit pricing on deaths and hospitalisations in Scotland: a controlled interrupted time series study. Lancet 2023; 401:1361-1370. [PMID: 36963415 PMCID: PMC10154457 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(23)00497-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since May 1, 2018, every alcoholic drink sold in Scotland has had minimum unit pricing (MUP) of £0·50 per unit. Previous studies have indicated that the introduction of this policy reduced alcohol sales by 3%. We aimed to assess whether this has led to reductions in alcohol-attributable deaths and hospitalisations. METHODS Study outcomes, wholly attributable to alcohol consumption, were defined using routinely collected data on deaths and hospitalisations. Controlled interrupted time series regression was used to assess the legislation's impact in Scotland, and any effect modification across demographic and socioeconomic deprivation groups. The pre-intervention time series ran from Jan 1, 2012, to April 30, 2018, and for 32 months after the policy was implemented (until Dec 31, 2020). Data from England, a part of the UK where the intervention was not implemented, were used to form a control group. FINDINGS MUP in Scotland was associated with a significant 13·4% reduction (95% CI -18·4 to -8·3; p=0·0004) in deaths wholly attributable to alcohol consumption. Hospitalisations wholly attributable to alcohol consumption decreased by 4·1% (-8·3 to 0·3; p=0·064). Effects were driven by significant improvements in chronic outcomes, particularly alcoholic liver disease. Furthermore, MUP legislation was associated with a reduction in deaths and hospitalisations wholly attributable to alcohol consumption in the four most socioeconomically deprived deciles in Scotland. INTERPRETATION The implementation of MUP legislation was associated with significant reductions in deaths, and reductions in hospitalisations, wholly attributable to alcohol consumption. The greatest improvements were in the four most socioeconomically deprived deciles, indicating that the policy is positively tackling deprivation-based inequalities in alcohol-attributable health harm. FUNDING Scottish Government.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant M A Wyper
- Place and Wellbeing Directorate, Public Health Scotland, Glasgow, UK; School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Daniel F Mackay
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Catriona Fraser
- Place and Wellbeing Directorate, Public Health Scotland, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jim Lewsey
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Mark Robinson
- School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK; Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Clare Beeston
- Place and Wellbeing Directorate, Public Health Scotland, Glasgow, UK
| | - Lucie Giles
- Place and Wellbeing Directorate, Public Health Scotland, Glasgow, UK
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10
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Romeo JS, Huckle T, Casswell S, Connor J, Rehm J, McGinn V. Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Aotearoa, New Zealand: Estimates of prevalence and indications of inequity. Drug Alcohol Rev 2023; 42:859-867. [PMID: 36809679 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is 100% caused by alcohol. The lifelong disability caused by prenatal alcohol exposure cannot be reversed. Lack of reliable national prevalence estimates of FASD is common internationally and true of Aotearoa, New Zealand. This study modelled the national prevalence of FASD and differences by ethnicity. METHODS FASD prevalence was estimated from self-reported data on any alcohol use during pregnancy for 2012/2013 and 2018/2019, combined with risk estimates for FASD from a meta-analysis of case-ascertainment or clinic-based studies in seven other countries. A sensitivity analysis using four more recent active case ascertainment studies was performed to account for the possibility of underestimation. RESULTS We estimated FASD prevalence in the general population to be 1.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0%; 2.7%) in the 2012/2013 year. For Māori, the prevalence was significantly higher than for Pasifika and Asian populations. In the 2018/2019 year, FASD prevalence was 1.3% (95% CI 0.9%; 1.9%). For Māori, the prevalence was significantly higher than for Pasifika and Asian populations. The sensitivity analysis estimated the prevalence of FASD in the 2018/2019 year to range between 1.1% and 3.9% and for Māori, from 1.7% to 6.3%. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS This study used methodology from comparative risk assessments, using the best available national data. These findings are probably underestimates but indicate a disproportionate experience of FASD by Māori compared with some ethnicities. The findings support the need for policy and prevention initiatives to support alcohol-free pregnancies to reduce lifelong disability caused by prenatal alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose S Romeo
- SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, College of Health, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Taisia Huckle
- SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, College of Health, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Sally Casswell
- SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, College of Health, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jennie Connor
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Jurgen Rehm
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Technische Universität Dresden, Klinische Psychologie and Psychotherapie, Dresden, Germany.,Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Suchtforschung der Universität Hamburg, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Valerie McGinn
- National Institute for Health Innovation, School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,FASD Centre, Aotearoa, Auckland, New Zealand
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11
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Anderson P, Kokole D, Jané Llopis E, Burton R, Lachenmeier DW. Lower Strength Alcohol Products—A Realist Review-Based Road Map for European Policy Making. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14183779. [PMID: 36145155 PMCID: PMC9500668 DOI: 10.3390/nu14183779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper reports the result of a realist review based on a theory of change that substitution of higher strength alcohol products with lower strength alcohol products leads to decreases in overall levels of alcohol consumption in populations and consumer groups. The paper summarizes the results of 128 publications across twelve different themes. European consumers are increasingly buying and drinking lower strength alcohol products over time, with some two fifths doing so to drink less alcohol. It tends to be younger more socially advantaged men, and existing heavier buyers and drinkers of alcohol, who take up lower strength alcohol products. Substitution leads to a lower number of grams of alcohol bought and drunk. Although based on limited studies, buying and drinking lower strength products do not appear to act as gateways to buying and drinking higher strength products. Producer companies are increasing the availability of lower strength alcohol products, particularly for beer, with extra costs of production offset by income from sales. Lower strength alcohol products tend to be marketed as compliments to, rather than substitutes of, existing alcohol consumption, with, to date, the impact of such marketing not evaluated. Production of lower strength alcohol products could impair the impact of existing alcohol policy through alibi marketing (using the brand of lower strength products to promote higher strength products), broadened normalization of drinking cultures, and pressure to weaken policies. In addition to increasing the availability of lower strength products and improved labelling, the key policy that favours substitution of higher strength alcohol products with lower strength products is an alcohol tax based on the dose of alcohol across all products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Anderson
- Department of Health Promotion, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK
- Correspondence:
| | - Daša Kokole
- Department of Health Promotion, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Eva Jané Llopis
- ESADE Business School, Ramon Llull University, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Robyn Burton
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Dirk W. Lachenmeier
- Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt (CVUA) Karlsruhe, Weissenburger Straße 3, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany
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