Looking back, moving forward: 50 years of South African Medical Research Council alcohol-related publications

Abstract

This open-access article is distributed under Creative Commons licence CC-BY-NC 4.0. Background. Alcohol is one of the highest risk factors for death and disability in South Africa (SA). Objective. To explore the trajectory of empirical research on alcohol in SA between 1969 and 2019, with an emphasis on South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) authored publications. Methods. We reviewed published research (Pubmed and Africa-Wide Information) using systematic methods, clear inclusion and exclusion criteria, and defined search terms. The search was not limited by language. Data synthesis was carried out by the first and last authors. Results. A total of 867 journal articles met the inclusion criteria, with 243 (28.0%) authored or co-authored by SAMRC researchers. For the latter group, three-quarters had an SAMRC researcher as first or last author. Over three-quarters (78.6%) of the SAMRC author positions ('first' , 'last' or 'other, counting researchers from a unit only once, but counting authors across different units on a single publication) were from intramural units. Over half the articles authored by SAMRC researchers focused on non-communicable diseases (55.9%), 23.8% focused on communicable diseases, and 10% on crime, violence or injury. Few articles focused on alcohol and tuberculosis (TB), alcohol and cancer, or alcohol policy. Over three-quarters (76.9%) were epidemiological in nature, and 65.3% were cross-sectional studies. There were 17 reviews (7 systematic) and 11 randomised controlled trials (RCTs). There was an increase in the annual number of publications over the 50-year period for both SAMRC and non-SAMRC researchers. Over time, there has been a trend towards publishing on alcohol research in journals published outside SA, but the SAMJ still remains a popular journal choice. Conclusion. The SAMRC has contributed substantially to the growing field of alcohol research in SA, but gaps in areas such as alcohol policy evaluation, alcohol and its association with TB and cancer, and interventional research, are evident.

Locked down: Impact of COVID-19 restrictions on trauma presentations to the emergency department

“…It has been postulated that this high burden may be a result of the misuse of alcohol, among other contributory factors. [7,8] This study describes the volume of trauma seen during a 5-month period, comparing 2019 with 2020. There was no significant difference in month-to-month variation in 2019.…”

“…One of the measures taken during lockdown in SA was restriction of access to alcohol, which has been suggested as one of the factors contributing to the decreased incidence of assaults secondary to interpersonal violence and road accidents. [11] Parry et al [8] noted that in 2015, 62 300 adults died (95% uncertainty interval 27 000 -103 000) in SA from alcohol-attributable causes. In SA, alcohol is the fifth largest risk factor for death and disability.…”

“…Research studies conducted over a 50-year period and published by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) reported a high burden of harm associated with alcohol use, and there is growing recognition of the need for national action to reduce this harm. [8] According to Sun et al, [12] alcohol is a major contributor to disease, domestic violence, injuries and death. Restricting access to alcohol results in a reduction of alcohol-related mortality, crime and injuries, according to documentation in a number of substantial articles in the economics literature.…”