Journal of Alcoholism & Drug Dependence
Open Access

Abstract

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

Razvodovsky YE

Background: 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.