Reduction in male suicide mortality following the 2006 Russian alcohol policy: An Interrupted time series analysis

W.A. Pridemore, M.B. Chamlin and E. Andreev

American Journal of Public Health, 2013, vol. 103, issue 11, 2021-2026

Abstract: Objectives. We took advantage of a natural experiment to assess the impact on suicide mortality of a suite of Russian alcohol policies. Methods. We obtained suicide counts from anonymous death records collected by the Russian Federal State Statistics Service. We used autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) interrupted time series techniques to model the effect of the alcohol policy (implemented in January 2006) on monthly male and female suicide counts between January 2000 and December 2010. Results. Monthly male and female suicide counts decreased during the period under study. Although the ARIMA analysis showed no impact of the policy on female suicide mortality, the results revealed an immediate and permanent reduction of about 9% in male suicides (Ln x0 = -0.096; P = .01). Conclusions. Despite a recent decrease in mortality, rates of alcohol consumption and suicide in Russia remain among the highest in the world. Our analysis revealed that the 2006 alcohol policy in Russia led to a 9% reduction in male suicide mortality, meaning the policy was responsible for saving 4000 male lives annually that would otherwise have been lost to suicide. Together with recent similar findings elsewhere, our results suggest an important role for public health and other population level interventions, including alcohol policy, in reducing alcohol-related harm. Copyright © 2013 by the American Public Health Association®.

Keywords: adolescent; adult; aged; alcoholic beverage; article; death certificate; drinking behavior; economics; female; health care policy; human; legal aspect; male; middle aged; Russian Federation; sex difference; statistics; suicide; tax; very elderly; young adult; alcoholic beverage; drinking behavior; economics; epidemiology; health care policy; legislation and jurisprudence; Russian Federation; statistics and numerical data; suicide, Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcohol Drinking; Alcoholic Beverages; Death Certificates; Female; Health Policy; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Russia; Sex Factors; Suicide; Taxes; Young Adult, Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcohol Drinking; Alcoholic Beverages; Death Certificates; Female; Health Policy; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Russia; Sex Factors; Suicide; Taxes; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301405_6

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301405

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