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Introduction: Major alcohol control policy measures in the Baltic countries and Poland have been shown to reduce alcohol per capita consumption (APC), 100% alcohol-attributable and all-cause mortality. This publication aims to estimate the effects of taxation increases and availability restrictions separately. Material and methods: Data were obtained from the statistical offices of the countries included except for alcohol consumption data, which were taken from the WHO for comparability reasons. Various types of regression analyses were conducted on time-series data using generalized additive mixed models. Results: On average, taxation increases were associated with decreases in APC (-0.89 litres (l); 95% CI: -1.35 l, -0.43 l) and all-cause mortality (-1.3%; 95% CI: -2.4%, -0.17%) among males. Given the average number of deaths in the four countries, the 1.3% reduction in the male mortality rate corresponds to 93 deaths postponed in Estonia, 166 in Latvia, 239 in Lithuania, and 2,606 in Poland, using the 2019 populations of the respective countries as the reference points. For 100% alcohol-attributable mortality, there were significant associations with availability restrictions for males (-12.1%; 95% CI: -17.8%, -6.4%) and females (-8.5%; 95% CI: -16.3%, -0.7%), as well as with taxation for females (-9.06%; 95% CI: -14.02%, -3.83%). All other associations were in the hypothesized direction but did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Different effects were found for taxation increases and availability restrictions. The former works via reducing the level of consumption, and thereby reduces all-cause mortality, while the latter seems to work more specifically on reducing heavy drinking occasions and consequently in particular on decreasing 100% alcohol-attributable mortality. Both alcohol control policies important to reduce consumption and alcohol-attributable mortality. However, they produce partly different outcomes, and thus should be implemented depending on the epidemiological profile and the desired effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Excessive drinking habits increase health-related, social and financial costs. This study aims to assess the alcohol-related behaviour and frequency of alcohol consumption in the inhabitants of the Kępno district in Poland. Material and methods: Study subjects included 299 inhabitants of the Kępno district in Poland consisting of 177 women (59.2%) and 122 men (40.2%) with the age range of 18-73 years and 19-69 years, respectively. The study was carried out anonymously in 2019 using a questionnaire employed in the direct interview method. Results: A total of 78.6% of participants were found to be currently drinking alcohol, 10.7% were not drinking alcohol at present and 12.7% had never drunk alcohol. The majority of respondents initiated drinking alcohol between 13 and 18 years of age. People from rural areas started drinking alcohol significantly earlier; more than half first consumed alcohol before the age of 15. About half of the subjects drank no more than 4 units of alcohol during a typical day of alcohol consumption. A total of 41.3% of people aged 43-70 years consumed 7-9 units of alcohol during a typical day compared to only 23.9% of the youngest respondents. A total of 60% of participants consumed alcohol several times a year regardless of sex, age and place of residence. Rates of alcohol being consumed a few times per month were slightly higher in men than women (18.3% vs. 15.4%, respectively). Conclusions: Healthy lifestyle should be promoted, highlighting the harm caused by alcohol drinking at primary and secondary schools because of the concern over the early age of alcohol initiation in the Kępno district, in particular with attempts to target adolescents living in rural areas. Taking into account the trends in the study group, special attention should be paid to women and the population of the oldest people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The study's aim is to identify and classify the most important alcohol control policies in the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) and Poland between 2000 and 2020., Methods: Policy analysis of Baltic countries and Poland, predicting potential policy impact on alcohol consumption, all-cause mortality and alcohol-attributable hospitalizations was discussed., Results: All Baltic countries implemented stringent availability restrictions on off-premises trading hours and different degrees of taxation increases to reduce the affordability of alcoholic beverages, as well as various degrees of bans on alcohol marketing. In contrast, Poland implemented few excise taxation increases or availability restrictions and, in fact, reduced stipulations on prior marketing bans., Conclusions: This classification of alcohol control policies in the Baltic countries and Poland provides a basis for future modeling of the impact of implementing effective alcohol control policies (Baltic countries), as well as the effects of loosening such policies (Poland)., (© 2022 Society for the Study of Addiction.)