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Objective. To analyze trends in mortality due to diseases and conditions fully attributable to alcohol in Brazil. Methods. This was an ecological time-series study. Proportional, specific, and agestandardized mortality rates between 2000 and 2013 that were due to underlying or contributing causes fully attributable to alcohol use were analyzed by sex, ethnicity/skin color, age group, and region of residence in the country. Data on deaths were obtained from the Brazilian Mortality Information System (SIM). Prais-Winsten regression was used to analyze trends. Results. Deaths with underlying causes and/or conditions contributing to death fully attributable to alcohol accounted for 2.5% of total deaths in the period. There were more deaths among men (3.8%) than among women (0.7%). In both sexes, there was a higher proportion of deaths in those 40-49 years old (27.9%) and those of black or pardo (mixed race) skin color (48.8%). Between 2000 and 2013, there was an upward trend in specific mortality rates attributable to alcohol in the country as a whole (average annual growth rate (AAGR) = 5.59%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.55%-7.68%), especially in people aged less than 20 years old, in pardos (AAGR = 13.42%; 95% CI = 9.70%-17.25%), and in residents of the North region (AAGR = 17.01%; 95% CI = 14.94%-19.13%), the Northeast region (AAGR = 15.49%; 95% CI = 10.61%-20.58%), and the Midwest region (AAGR = 8.40%; 95% CI = 5.57%-11.32%). Conclusion. Alcohol is an important and growing cause of premature death in Brazil, especially among men, black/pardo people, and the population living in the most disadvantaged regions. This overall increase in the harmful use of alcohol reflects ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities in Brazil, and it also points to the need for population-based policies to reduce the impact of morbidity and to prevent early mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess heavy episodic drinking trends in the 26 Brazilian state capitals and Federal District, overall and according to sex., Methods: This was an ecological time series study of heavy episodic drinking patterns among adults, from 2006 to 2018. The data were obtained from VIGITEL Survey time series. Prais-Winsten regression was used., Results: In the period studied a stationary heavy episodic drinking trend was found in 23 out of the 27 state capitals, with the exception of Macapá, where there was a decrease in this practice, and in São Paulo, Florianópolis and the Federal District, where an increase was found. There were important differences by sex in relation to heavy episodic drinking, with a tendency to increased consumption among women in seven state capitals., Conclusion: There was no reduction in heavy episodic drinking in most capitals, showing the urgency of implementing interventions to reduce alcohol consumption among the Brazilian population.

Objective: to analyze the epidemiological and toxicological profile of suicide cases in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in 2017 and 2018., Methods: this was a cross-sectional study with data from police incident reports and state General Forensic Institute records; multiple correspondence analyses were performed and logistic regression models were built., Results: there were 2,564 suicides (11.3/100,000 inhabitants/year), mostly involving males (79.4%), and the 50-54 years age group (10.3%); the main method was hanging (72.5%); positive results for ethanol were found in 29.1% of cases and for other psychotropic drugs in 36.1% of cases; young people were 4.5 times (95%CI 2.7;7.7) and 2.4 times (95%CI 1.5;3.6) more likely to be the victims when there were positive results for an illegal substance or parental absence, respectively., Conclusion: male and adult victims predominated, hanging was the most common means, and, in one third of the cases, psychotropic drugs were present.

Objective: To analyze trends in mortality due to diseases and conditions fully attributable to alcohol in Brazil., Methods: This was an ecological time-series study. Proportional, specific, and age-standardized mortality rates between 2000 and 2013 that were due to underlying or contributing causes fully attributable to alcohol use were analyzed by sex, ethnicity/skin color, age group, and region of residence in the country. Data on deaths were obtained from the Brazilian Mortality Information System (SIM). Prais-Winsten regression was used to analyze trends., Results: Deaths with underlying causes and/or conditions contributing to death fully attributable to alcohol accounted for 2.5% of total deaths in the period. There were more deaths among men (3.8%) than among women (0.7%). In both sexes, there was a higher proportion of deaths in those 40-49 years old (27.9%) and those of black or pardo (mixed race) skin color (48.8%). Between 2000 and 2013, there was an upward trend in specific mortality rates attributable to alcohol in the country as a whole (average annual growth rate (AAGR) = 5.59%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.55%-7.68%), especially in people aged less than 20 years old, in pardos (AAGR = 13.42%; 95% CI = 9.70%-17.25%), and in residents of the North region (AAGR = 17.01%; 95% CI = 14.94%-19.13%), the Northeast region (AAGR = 15.49%; 95% CI = 10.61%-20.58%), and the Midwest region (AAGR = 8.40%; 95% CI = 5.57%-11.32%)., Conclusion: Alcohol is an important and growing cause of premature death in Brazil, especially among men, black/pardo people, and the population living in the most disadvantaged regions. This overall increase in the harmful use of alcohol reflects ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities in Brazil, and it also points to the need for population-based policies to reduce the impact of morbidity and to prevent early mortality., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest. None declared.

Objective: To analyze sociodemographic factors associated with alcohol use according to gender in Brazil., Methods: Cross-sectional study using data from 2013 Brazilian Health Survey about 60,202 adults. We analyzed recent alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking in the 30 days prior to the research stratified by gender. The covariates were: age, educational level, skin color, marital status, and place of residence., Results: The prevalence of recent alcohol use was 26.5%. In women, the prevalence was 14.4%; in men, 38.1%. In women, recent alcohol use was associated with younger age, higher educational level, being single or separated/divorced, and living in urban areas. In men, there was association with white skin color in addition to these factors. Among adults who used alcohol, 51.5% reported heavy episodic drinking - in women, this proportion was 43.4%; in men, 55.0%. In women, heavy episodic drinking was associated with younger age, being single or separated/divorced and living in urban areas; white skin color and higher educational level had negative association with this pattern. In men, heavy episodic drinking was directly associated with younger age and being single or divorced and inversely to white skin color; there was no significant relation with education and place of residence., Conclusion: We observed that men consume more alcohol than women. There is a convergence of alcohol consumption, including heavy episodic drinking, between men and women who are younger, single and divorced, and residents of urban areas. Skin color, educational level, and place of residence showed variations in the models by sex.