Frequency and intensity of alcohol consumption: new evidence from Sweden.
There is an increasing body of evidence that the intensity in which alcohol is drunk is of greater concern than the frequency or overall quantity consumed. This paper provides an extensive analysis of the demand for alcohol as measured by total quantity, frequency, and intensity. A unique large sample of cross-sectional data from Sweden 2004-2011 allows reduced-form alcohol demand equations to be estimated for beer, wine, and spirits, split by alcohol drinking pattern (average vs. binge drinkers) and gender. Results find a negative beer excise rate effect for participation and frequency, and positive effect for intensity. The effect was stronger for binge drinkers. Generally, the results also show a positive socioeconomic (income and education) gradient in frequency demand and a negative gradient in the intensity demand. Female wine drinkers show a positive socioeconomic gradient in both frequency and intensity. The findings highlight the complexity of this policy space. Tax increases appear to reduce frequency but raise intensity consumed. The more educated and higher earners drink more in total, but less intensely when they do and this is likely to explain in part why poor health is concentrated amongst lower socioeconomic status individuals.
Health Economics and Management, Institute of Economic Research, Lund University, Box 117, 22100, Lund, Sweden. gawain.heckley@med.lu.se.|Health Economics Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Medicon Village, 223 81, Lund, Sweden. gawain.heckley@med.lu.se.
Gawain
G
Heckley
Health Economics and Management, Institute of Economic Research, Lund University, Box 117, 22100, Lund, Sweden.|Health Economics Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Medicon Village, 223 81, Lund, Sweden.
Johan
J
Jarl
Health Economics and Management, Institute of Economic Research, Lund University, Box 117, 22100, Lund, Sweden.|Health Economics Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Medicon Village, 223 81, Lund, Sweden.|Department of Economics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Ulf-G
UG
Gerdtham
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000191:economics*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004327:Drinking Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013660:Taxes / Q000191:economics*
Alcohol; Binge drinking; Demand; Drinking pattern