Document Detail


Changes in alcohol-related problems after alcohol policy changes in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20105411     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: European Union travelers' allowances for alcohol import to Denmark, Sweden, and Finland were abolished in 2004. In addition, excise taxes on alcohol were lowered in 2003 and 2005 in Denmark, and in 2004 in Finland. Using northern Sweden as a control site, this study examines whether levels of reported alcohol problems have changed in Denmark, Finland, and southern Sweden as a consequence of these policy changes.
METHOD: Annual cross-sectional surveys were conducted in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden from 2003 to 2006. Five dependency items and seven extrinsic alcohol-related problems were examined. Changes were analyzed within each country/region with logistic regressions and tested for short- and long-term changes. Differential change was also tested between each country and the control site, northern Sweden.
RESULTS: Prevalence of alcohol problems decreased over the study period. Only in selected subgroups did problems increase. This mainly occurred in the samples for northern Sweden and Finland, and mostly among older age groups and men. In relation to the control site, however, no increases in problem prevalence were found.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings on a decline in reported alcohol problems largely agree with published reports on alcohol consumption over the same period in the study countries. They do not agree, however, with findings on changes in health and social statistics in Finland and Denmark, where some significant increases in alcohol-related harm have been found.
Authors:
Kim Bloomfield; Matthias Wicki; Nina-Katri Gustafsson; Pia Mäkelä; Robin Room
Publication Detail:
Type:  Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs     Volume:  71     ISSN:  1938-4114     ISO Abbreviation:  J Stud Alcohol Drugs     Publication Date:  2010 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-01-28     Completed Date:  2010-08-26     Revised Date:  2011-07-19    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101295847     Medline TA:  J Stud Alcohol Drugs     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  32-40     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research, Copenhagen Division, Aarhus University, Artillerivej 90, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. kb@crf.au.dk
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Alcohol Drinking / economics,  ethnology*,  prevention & control
Alcoholism / economics,  ethnology*,  prevention & control
Cross-Sectional Studies
Denmark / ethnology
Female
Finland / ethnology
Health Policy / legislation & jurisprudence*,  trends*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Sweden / ethnology
Young Adult
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
R01 AA014879/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS
Comments/Corrections

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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