title: Risk factors for alcohol-specific hospitalizations and deaths: prospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the risk factors for hospitalizations and deaths due to alcohol-specific diagnoses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Representative samples of men (n = 4431) aged 15-69 at the baseline interviews in September 1969, 1976 and 1984 were pooled. Follow-up was 16.3 years or to the first end-point. The main outcome measure was hospitalization (main cause) or death (underlying or contributory cause) due to an alcohol-specific diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were altogether 216 men with either hospitalization or death with an alcohol-specific diagnosis. This outcome was positively associated with smoking, overall alcohol intake, being an ex-drinker and being divorced or widowed. Similar associations and relative risk estimates were found when cases of alcohol dependence were excluded and when focusing on alcohol psychosis or on alcohol-specific diseases of the stomach, liver and pancreas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cigarette smoking, overall alcohol intake, being an ex-drinker and marital status associate with alcohol-specific hospitalizations and deaths and can predict these outcomes.
authors: Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies, FI-00271 Helsinki, Finland. kari.poikolainen@thl.fi
authors: Kari
authors: K
authors: Poikolainen
authors: Tapio
authors: T
authors: Paljärvi
authors: Pia
authors: P
authors: Mäkelä
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000431:Ethanol; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol