Per Capita Alcohol Consumption and Suicide Rates in the U.S., 1950–2002

Landberg, Jonas

doi:10.1521/suli.2009.39.4.452

Cited by 23 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Alcohol is also thought to be associated with higher rates of suicide in some Indigenous groups and in the Pacific, although empirical data on this relationship is scarce (De Leo, Milner, & Sveticic, 2012;Laliberté & Tousignant, 2009;Rubinstein, 1992). At a social level, these associations may vary depending on gender, the prevalence and type of alcohol available, and the attitude toward alcohol consumption in society (Bloomfield, Stockwell, Gmel, & Rehn, 2003;Kuendig et al, 2008;Landberg, 2008Landberg, , 2009Norström & Skog, 2001;Peele, 1997;Rossow, 1996). For example, the relationship between suicide and alcohol consumption per capita appears to be more noticeable in countries where spirit consumption is high (such as those in Eastern Europe), compared to countries with moderate drinking practices (Inelmen et al, 2010;Landberg, 2008;Pridemore, 2006;Stickley, Jukkala, & Norstrom, 2011).…”

Section: Alcohol (N = 17)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Social-Environmental Factors and Suicide Mortality: A Narrative Review of over 200 Articles

Milner¹,

Hjelmeland²,

Arensman³

et al. 2013

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Suicide mortality in a population has long been thought to be sensitive to social, economic and cultural contexts. This review examined research on the relationship between social-environmental variables and suicide mortality published over a ten-year period. The main areas covered in the review included: the economy and income, unemployment, relationship status, fertility and birth rates, female participation in the workforce, religion, migration, location of residence, modernisation, media reporting, alcohol, and access to suicide methods. Results of the review indicated that rates of suicide mortality (deaths per 100,000 in a population) were sensitive to a wide range of social factors. There were relatively stable associations noted between divorce and unemployment with suicide mortality, while many of the reported associations between suicide mortality and other social variables (such as religion, fertility and female participation in the workforce) were influenced by contextual factors and time. These findings indicate the importance of considering the relationship between social factors and suicide as dynamic phenomena.

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Section: Alcohol (N = 17)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Social-Environmental Factors and Suicide Mortality: A Narrative Review of over 200 Articles

Milner¹,

Hjelmeland²,

Arensman³

et al. 2013

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“…At the population level the positive relationship between per capita alcohol sales (or consumption) and suicide mortality rates have been documented in various studies across many countries, and the magnitude of the associations vary by gender and beverage types (Cook, 2007; Cook and Durrance, 2013; Kerr et al, 2011; Landberg, 2009; Lester, 2000; Norström, 1988, 1995; Norström et al, 2011; Ramstedt, 2001, 2005; Razvodovsky, 2009). Effective alcohol policies contribute to a reduction in excessive alcohol consumption at both population and individual levels (Anderson et al, 2009; Babor et al, 2010), among both general populations (Naimi et al, 2014; Xuan et al, 2015a) and youth (Xuan et al, 2015b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alcohol Policies and Suicide: A Review of the Literature

Xuan

Naimi

Kaplan

et al. 2016

Alcoholism Clin & Exp Res

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Both intoxication and chronic heavy alcohol use are associated with suicide. There is extensive population-level evidence linking per capita alcohol consumption with suicide. While alcohol policies can reduce excessive alcohol consumption, the relationship between alcohol policies and suicide warrants a critical review of the literature. This review summarizes the associations between various types of alcohol policies and suicide, both in the United States and internationally, as presented in English-language literature published between 1999 and 2014. Study designs, methodological challenges, and limitations in ascertaining the associations are discussed. Because of the substantial between-states variation in alcohol policies, U.S.-based studies contributed substantially to the literature. Repeated cross-sectional designs at both the ecological level and decedent level were common among U.S.-based studies. Non-U.S. studies often used time series data to evaluate pre-post comparisons of a hybrid set of policy changes. Although inconsistency remained, the published literature in general supported the protective effect of restrictive alcohol policies on reducing suicide as well as the decreased level of alcohol involvement among suicide decedents. Common limitations included measurement and selection bias, and a focus on effects of a limited number of alcohol policies without accounting for other alcohol policies. This review summarizes a number of studies that suggest restrictive alcohol policies may contribute to suicide prevention on a general population level, and to a reduction of alcohol involvement among suicide deaths.

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“…During our observation period, no statistically significant changes in average per capita alcohol consumption were observed, although the curve of alcohol consumption per capita undulated throughout the investigated period [30]. Ramstedt [21] and Landberg [18] showed that the strength of the relationship between per capita consumption and a country’s suicidal rate is contingent on the drinking culture. Public attitudes toward suicide in Slovenia are neither permissive nor restrictive [39], so acute alcohol use may be regarded as a disinhibiting agent that plays a role in increasing suicidal risk by intensifying aggressive behavior and propelling suicidal ideation into action [40].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…They often suffer from recent adverse life events, and they are also likely to be intoxicated at the time of the suicide [15]. In the past two decades, several studies on the relationship between global alcohol consumption and suicide have demonstrated a significant correlation between the per capita alcohol consumption and suicide on national [17,18] and international levels [19,20,21,22]. In addition to the influence of alcohol consumption on elevated suicide risk, further research on this topic has also demonstrated a possible role of heavy and binge drinking patterns and preference for spirit beverages [23,24,25,26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Acute alcohol consumption and alcohol dependence are known to be associated with increased risk for suicidal behavior and with selection of more lethal suicide methods [34], such as hanging, which is the most frequent method in Slovenia [35]. The relationship between per capita alcohol consumption and a country’s suicide rate has been described previously [18,21]. However, the influence of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) on suicide risk is poorly understood and is seen as part of the influence of the social environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reduced Blood Alcohol Concentration in Suicide Victims in Response to a New National Alcohol Policy in Slovenia

Zupanc

Agius²,

Paska

et al. 2012

Eur Addict Res

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Background: Addiction is a major social and health problem. Studies on suicide and alcohol at the individual and aggregated level have confirmed a link between alcohol and suicide. Aim: To assess the impact of the new national alcohol policy in Slovenia on the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in BAC-positive suicide victims before, during and after the implementation of the new national alcohol policy in 2003. Method: Blood samples were collected by forensic pathologists during medicolegal autopsies of suicide victims in order to establish their BAC levels at the time of death. BAC was measured using two routine independent headspace gas chromatography methods (HSS-GC-FID) and expressed in grams per kilogram. Results: During the period before the implementation of the act which limited the availability of alcohol in Slovenia, the BACs of BAC-positive suicide victims were higher than those tested in the period after the implementation of the act. Conclusion: Despite certain limitations, this study demonstrates that legislation measures restricting alcohol availability may be an effective measure of BAC reduction in BAC-positive suicide victims.

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Per Capita Alcohol Consumption and Suicide Rates in the U.S., 1950–2002

Cited by 23 publications

References 28 publications

Social-Environmental Factors and Suicide Mortality: A Narrative Review of over 200 Articles

Social-Environmental Factors and Suicide Mortality: A Narrative Review of over 200 Articles

Alcohol Policies and Suicide: A Review of the Literature

Reduced Blood Alcohol Concentration in Suicide Victims in Response to a New National Alcohol Policy in Slovenia

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