Citation

Razvodovsky YE. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 64.

Affiliation

Grodno State Medical University, str. Gorky 80, 230015 Grodno, Belarus. razvodovsky@grsmu.by.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16963959

Abstract

Background: Alcohol abuse has long been considered as important factor of suicidal behavior. Moreover, alcohol has often been put forward as a major factor in the large decline in suicide rate in the former Soviet Republics in mid-1980s, followed by a dramatic increase in 1990s. The main evidence for this hypothesis is the fact that a positive correlation between level of alcohol consumption and suicide rate has been found. The empirical evidence leads us to the hypothesis that it might be an intoxication-oriented drinking pattern and not the total level of alcohol consumption which is the most important factor in the association between alcohol and suicide. Purpose and Method: To test this hypothesis trends in sex and age standardized suicide rate in Belarus in 1970-2004 were analyzed in relation to trends in the level of different types of alcoholic beverages consumption per capita using ARIMA time series analysis. Results: In the period under analysis the suicide rate in Belarus doubled (from 17.6 to 35.1 per 100.000 of population). The analysis revealed a positive and statistically significant association between the level of strong spirits (vodka) consumption per capita and suicide rate among males (r = 0.81; p = 0.000) and females (r = 0.78; p = 0.000). The analysis suggests that a 1% increase in vodka consumption per capita would results in a 0.57% increase in suicide rate among males and 0.24% increase in suicide rate among females. Conclusion: This study adds to the growing body of scientific evidence that a substantial proportion of suicide in Belarus is due to the acute effect of binge drinking. The outcome of this study also supports the hypothesis that alcohol related suicide is mainly a male phenomenon.

Language: en