Citation

Grohol M. Adiktologie 2016; 16(3): 216-226.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The literature suggests a positive association between alcohol-related harm to health and the level of alcohol consumption. An especially strong association seems to be found in the subgroup of injuries and other health consequences resulting from external causes, where deaths resulting from suicide and road traffic accidents (RTAs) also belong (Chap. XIX, ICD-10). This work refers to a previous review on the risk of alcohol-related RTAs. GOAL: The present paper seeks to explore the relationship between the level of alcohol consumption and the parameters of the road traffic accident rate in the Czech Republic (CZ) and Slovakia (SK), as well as comparing the trends in these two countries.

METHODS: Four parameters of the accident rate were selected: the number of RTAs, the number of deaths in RTAs, the number of RTAs related to alcohol (RTA-A), and the number of deaths in RTA-A. Crude rates adjusted to the number of motor vehicles were correlated to annual per capita alcohol consumption. A positive correlation was hypothesised.

RESULTS: The hypothesised positive correlation was confirmed neither in CZ nor SK. On the contrary, a negative (inverse) correlation was found in the majority of outcomes, including deaths resulting from alcohol-related RTAs. Similarities rather than differences were found when the two countries were compared.

CONCLUSION: The road traffic accident death rate (including alcohol-related deaths) appears to be an inappropriate indicator of health harms caused by alcohol in both the Slovak and the Czech Republics. © 2016, Sdruzeni SCAN. All rights reserved.

Language: sk

Keywords

Alcohol consumption; Road traffic accidents; Linear correlation; Road deaths