NCJ Number
227452
Journal
Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy Volume: 16 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2009 Pages: 127-139
Date Published
April 2009
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined trends in suicide and fatal alcohol-poisoning rates in Russia from 1956 to 2005, in order to test the hypothesis that binge drinking of vodka results in a close association between alcohol consumption and suicide in that country.
Abstract
The study findings provide support for the hypothesis that suicide and alcohol consumption are closely connected in the Russian culture, where intoxication-oriented drinking patterns prevail. The results of the time-series analysis indicate a statistically significant association between the two time series at zero lag, with the association being strongest for males. This study replicates previous findings from other settings that suggest a positive link between heavy alcohol consumption and suicide at the aggregate level. Alcohol-control policies in Russia underwent significant changes during the second half of the 20th century, ranging from tough restrictions in the mid-1980s to a total lack of control following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite the fact that alcohol-control policies remained a low priority for the Soviet Government between 1950 and 1985, there were brief campaigns that addressed alcohol-related problems in 1958, 1966, 1972, and 1982. The subsequent risk in the suicide and alcohol-poisoning rates from 1998 to 2005 may be associated with the financial crisis and worsening economic situation. The author notes that although binge drinking is apparently a risk factor for self-destructive behavior, alcohol poisoning and suicide may be influenced by a confounding variable, which means that the correlation is spurious due to an association of the two variables with a common cause, such as the stress experienced by Russians during the transition period. The data on age-adjusted, sex-specific suicide and alcohol poisoning mortality rates per 1,000,000 residents were obtained from the Russian vital statistics registration system. ARIMA analysis assessed the bivariate relationship between the two time series. 4 figures, 4 tables, and 33 references