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The effects of a large reduction in alcohol prices on hospitalizations related to alcohol: a population-based natural experiment.
Addiction. 2011 Apr; 106(4):759-67.A

Abstract

AIMS

Finland experienced a large reduction in alcohol prices in 2004 due to in the lowering of alcohol taxes by about one-third and the abolition of duty-free allowances for travellers from the European Union. We examined the effects of these changes on alcohol-related hospitalizations.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

Time-series intervention analyses of monthly aggregations of hospitalization for acute and chronic causes among men and women aged 15-39, 40-49, 50-69 and more than 69 years.

SETTING

Finland, 1996-2006.

FINDINGS

After the price reduction the chronic hospitalization rate for men increased among those below age 70 years. It was largest among those aged 50-69 years: 22%, which implies an increase of 18.0 monthly hospitalizations per 100,000 person-years, and there was an 11% and 16% (11.5 and 4.8 monthly hospitalizations) increase among those aged 40-49 and 15-39, respectively. Among the women the rate increased by 23% (4.0 monthly hospitalizations) in the 50-69-year-olds, and decreased in the under-40s. The increase in all the population groups was due mainly to an increase in mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol. Acute hospitalizations increased by 17% and 20% (6.2 and 7.0 per month) among men aged 40-49 and 50-69 years, respectively, and by 38% among women aged 50-69 years (2.3 per month).

CONCLUSIONS

The results, obtained in a natural experimental setting when trends and seasonal variation had been taken into account, suggest that the reduction in alcohol prices led to increases in alcohol-related hospitalization in certain population groups, mainly among 50-69-year-olds, in Finland.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Herttua K
Population Research Unit, Department of Social Research, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. kimmo.herttua@helsinki.fi
Mäkelä P
No affiliation info available
Martikainen P
No affiliation info available

MeSH

Acute DiseaseAdolescentAdultAgedAlcohol DrinkingAlcohol-Related DisordersAlcoholic BeveragesChronic DiseaseCommerceEuropean UnionFemaleFinlandHospitalizationHumansMaleMiddle AgedModels, StatisticalPublic PolicyTaxesTime FactorsYoung Adult

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

21205044

Citation

Herttua, Kimmo, et al. "The Effects of a Large Reduction in Alcohol Prices On Hospitalizations Related to Alcohol: a Population-based Natural Experiment." Addiction (Abingdon, England), vol. 106, no. 4, 2011, pp. 759-67.
Herttua K, Mäkelä P, Martikainen P. The effects of a large reduction in alcohol prices on hospitalizations related to alcohol: a population-based natural experiment. Addiction. 2011;106(4):759-67.
Herttua, K., Mäkelä, P., & Martikainen, P. (2011). The effects of a large reduction in alcohol prices on hospitalizations related to alcohol: a population-based natural experiment. Addiction (Abingdon, England), 106(4), 759-67. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03296.x
Herttua K, Mäkelä P, Martikainen P. The Effects of a Large Reduction in Alcohol Prices On Hospitalizations Related to Alcohol: a Population-based Natural Experiment. Addiction. 2011;106(4):759-67. PubMed PMID: 21205044.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - The effects of a large reduction in alcohol prices on hospitalizations related to alcohol: a population-based natural experiment. AU - Herttua,Kimmo, AU - Mäkelä,Pia, AU - Martikainen,Pekka, Y1 - 2011/02/14/ PY - 2011/1/6/entrez PY - 2011/1/6/pubmed PY - 2011/8/5/medline SP - 759 EP - 67 JF - Addiction (Abingdon, England) JO - Addiction VL - 106 IS - 4 N2 - AIMS: Finland experienced a large reduction in alcohol prices in 2004 due to in the lowering of alcohol taxes by about one-third and the abolition of duty-free allowances for travellers from the European Union. We examined the effects of these changes on alcohol-related hospitalizations. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Time-series intervention analyses of monthly aggregations of hospitalization for acute and chronic causes among men and women aged 15-39, 40-49, 50-69 and more than 69 years. SETTING: Finland, 1996-2006. FINDINGS: After the price reduction the chronic hospitalization rate for men increased among those below age 70 years. It was largest among those aged 50-69 years: 22%, which implies an increase of 18.0 monthly hospitalizations per 100,000 person-years, and there was an 11% and 16% (11.5 and 4.8 monthly hospitalizations) increase among those aged 40-49 and 15-39, respectively. Among the women the rate increased by 23% (4.0 monthly hospitalizations) in the 50-69-year-olds, and decreased in the under-40s. The increase in all the population groups was due mainly to an increase in mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol. Acute hospitalizations increased by 17% and 20% (6.2 and 7.0 per month) among men aged 40-49 and 50-69 years, respectively, and by 38% among women aged 50-69 years (2.3 per month). CONCLUSIONS: The results, obtained in a natural experimental setting when trends and seasonal variation had been taken into account, suggest that the reduction in alcohol prices led to increases in alcohol-related hospitalization in certain population groups, mainly among 50-69-year-olds, in Finland. SN - 1360-0443 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/21205044/The_effects_of_a_large_reduction_in_alcohol_prices_on_hospitalizations_related_to_alcohol:_a_population_based_natural_experiment_ L2 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03296.x DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -