Citation

Värnik A, Kolves K, Väli M, Tooding LM, Wasserman D. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 110.

Affiliation

Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute, Oie 39, 11615 Tallinn, Estonia. airiv@online.ee. airi.varnik@ut.ee.

Copyright

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

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16964059

Abstract

The study examined blood alcohol concentration (BAC) prior to suicide in relation to a marked decrease in suicide rates and per capita alcohol consumption in Estonia during the major anti-alcohol campaign. The study updated 5054 suicide cases (76% males and 24% females) based on the official autopsy reports of the Estonian Medico-legal Bureau (autopsy rate 95% for males, 88% for females) for the years before (1981-84), during (1986-88), and after (1989-1992) the major anti-alcohol campaign. Suicidents were divided by gender, age and the level of blood alcohol concentration, 0.5-1.49, 1.5-2.49 and over 2.50. During the anti-alcohol campaign per capita alcohol consumption decreased from 10.9 to 6.6 litres. Findings describe the dynamics of BAC(+) suicides separately by gender and age and also by levels of alcohol in blood of suicidents during the different phases of intervention. Alcohol availability has a considerable impact on suicide mortality. BAC(+) suicides accounted for a sharp decrease in suicide rates during the anti-alcohol campaign. Alcohol restrictions were effective in preventing suicides among young and middle-aged males and females.

Language: en