@article{ref1,
title="Alcohol consumption and suicide rate in Belarus",
journal="Psychiatria Danubina",
year="2006",
author="Razvodovsky, Y. E.",
volume="18",
number="Suppl 1",
pages="64-64",
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.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0353-5053",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}