Alcohol consumption and indicators of alcohol-related harm in Slovenia, 1981-2002.
OBJECTIVE
To document over-time per capita alcohol consumption and connection between per capita alcohol consumption and indicators of short and long term alcohol-related harm.


METHODS
Registered alcohol consumption was calculated from the data on production and trade of alcoholic beverages, using World Health Organization recommended methodology for the 1981-2002 period. The indicators of alcohol-related harm, alcohol-related mortality, and alcohol-related road-traffic accidents were calculated from mortality data and alcohol-related traffic accidents data for the 1986-2001 period.


RESULTS
Estimates of apparent per capita alcohol consumption in Slovenia over the past 20 years indicate a decrease in alcohol consumption, beginning in 1982 and continuing with some fluctuations in subsequent years through 2002. Per capita consumption of ethanol from all beverages combined decreased from 1981 to 2002 by 15.1%. The drop was substantial in the period from 1981 to 1991. On average, 32 people per 100,000 aged > or =15 years died annually from all alcohol-related causes. The number of years of potential life lost (YPLL) due to all alcohol related causes decreased by 21%, with a 40% decrease in YPLL due to premature deaths from alcoholic liver disease and 113% increase in YPLL due to premature deaths from mental and behavioral disorders due to use of alcohol.


CONCLUSIONS
Indicators of alcohol-related harm reflect high per capita alcohol consumption. With a strong legislative and public health support the situation is expected to improve.
Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Slovenia, Trubarjeva cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Janja.Sesok@ivz-rs.si
Janja
J
Sesok
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002423:Cause of Death; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011634:Public Health; D012309:Risk-Taking; D017524:Slovenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011049:Social Control Policies; D013997:Time Factors