Journal of Alcoholism & Drug Dependence
Open Access

Abstract

The Differential Effects of Beverage Type on Alcohol Poisoning Mortality in Russia

Razvodovsky YE

Background: Death from alcohol poisoning is a serious public health problem in Russia. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between the consumption of different beverage types and alcohol poisoning mortality rates in Russia. Method: Age-standardized male and female alcohol poisoning mortality data for the period 1970-2010 and data on beverage-specific alcohol sales were obtained from Russian State Statistical Committee. Time-series analytical modeling techniques were used to examine the relation between the sales of different alcoholic beverages (vodka, wine, beer) and alcohol poisoning mortality rates. Results: Total alcohol sale is a statistically significant associated with both male and female alcohol poisoning mortality rates, implying that a 1-litre increase in per capita alcohol sales is associated with an increase in male mortality of 7.4% and female mortality of 9.0%. The analysis also suggests that of the three beverages (vodka, beer and wine) vodka alone was associated with alcohol poisoning mortality in Russia. The estimated effects of vodka sales on the alcohol poisoning mortality rate are clearly statistically significant for both sexes: a 1 liter increase in vodka sales would result in a 16.1% increase in the male alcohol poisoning mortality rate and in 17.9% increase in female mortality rate. 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 alcohol-related mortality rates in Russia.