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Open Access 01-12-2024 | Research

Trends of alcohol-attributable deaths in Lithuania 2001–2021: epidemiology and policy conclusions

Authors: Jürgen Rehm, Pol Rovira, Huan Jiang, Shannon Lange, Kevin D. Shield, Alexander Tran, Mindaugas Štelemėkas

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2024

Abstract

Background

Lithuania, a Baltic country in the European Union, can be characterized by high alcohol consumption and attributable burden. The aim of this contribution is to estimate the mortality burden due to alcohol use for the past two decades based on different relative risk functions, identify trends, and analyse the associations of alcohol-attributable burden with alcohol control policies and life expectancy.

Methods

The standard methodology used by the World Health Organization for estimating alcohol-attributable mortality was employed to generate mortality rates for alcohol-attributable mortality, standardized for Lithuania’s 2021 population distribution. Joinpoint analysis, T-tests, correlations, and regression analyses including meta-regressions were used to describe trends and associations.

Results

Age-standardized alcohol-attributable mortality was high in Lithuania during the two decades between 2001 and 2021, irrespective of which relative risks were used for the estimates. Overall, there was a downward trend, mainly in males, which was associated with four years of intensive implementation of alcohol control policies in 2008, 2009, 2017, and 2018. For the remaining years, the rates of alcohol-attributable mortality were stagnant. Among males, the correlations between alcohol-attributable mortality and life expectancy were 0.90 and 0.76 for Russian and global relative risks respectively, and regression analyses indicated a significant association between changes in alcohol-attributable mortality and life expectancy, after controlling for gross domestic product.

Conclusions

Male mortality and life expectancy in Lithuania were closely linked to alcohol-attributable mortality and markedly associated with strong alcohol control policies. Further implementation of such policies is predicted to lead to further improvements in life expectancy.

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Title: Trends of alcohol-attributable deaths in Lithuania 2001–2021: epidemiology and policy conclusions
Authors: Jürgen Rehm
Pol Rovira
Huan Jiang
Shannon Lange
Kevin D. Shield
Alexander Tran
Mindaugas Štelemėkas
Publication date: 01-12-2024
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18237-y

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Trends of alcohol-attributable deaths in Lithuania 2001–2021: epidemiology and policy conclusions

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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