title: The effects of a large reduction in alcohol prices on hospitalizations related to alcohol: a population-based natural experiment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  Finland, 1996-2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Population Research Unit, Department of Social Research, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. kimmo.herttua@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Kimmo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herttua
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mäkelä
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martikainen
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000191:economics*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003132:Commerce / Q000191:economics; D005062:European Union / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011640:Public Policy; D013660:Taxes / Q000191:economics*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult