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The relationship between minimum alcohol prices, outlet densities and alcohol‐attributable deaths in B ritish C olumbia, 2002–09
Author(s) -
Zhao Jinhui,
Stockwell Tim,
Martin Gina,
Macdonald Scott,
Vallance Kate,
Treno Andrew,
Ponicki William R.,
Tu Andrew,
Buxton Jane
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1111/add.12139
Subject(s) - demography , confidence interval , medicine , alcohol , population , mortality rate , injury prevention , poison control , zoology , surgery , biology , environmental health , biochemistry , sociology
Abstract Aim To investigate relationships between periodic increases in minimum alcohol prices, changing densities of liquor stores and alcohol‐attributable ( AA ) deaths in B ritish C olumbia, C anada. Design Cross‐section (16 geographic areas) versus time–series (32 annual quarters) panel analyses were conducted with AA deaths as dependent variables and price, outlet densities and socio‐demographic characteristics as independent variables. Setting and participants Populations of 16 H ealth S ervice D elivery A reas in B ritish C olumbia, C anada. Measurements Age–sex‐standardized rates of acute, chronic and wholly AA mortality; population densities of restaurants, bars, government and private liquor stores; minimum prices of alcohol in dollars per standard drink. Findings A 10% increase in average minimum price for all alcoholic beverages was associated with a 31.72% [95% confidence interval ( CI ): ± 25.73%, P < 0.05] reduction in wholly AA deaths. Significantly negative lagged associations were also detected up to 12 months after minimum price increases for wholly but not for acute or chronic AA deaths. Significant reductions in chronic and total AA deaths were detected between 2 and 3 years after minimum price increases. Significant but inconsistent lagged associations were detected for acute AA deaths. A 10% increase in private liquor stores was associated with a 2.45% (95% CI : ± 2.39%, P < 0.05), 2.36% (95% CI : ± 1.57%, P < 0.05) and 1.99% (95% CI : ± 1.76%, P < 0.05) increase in acute, chronic and total AA mortality rates. Conclusion Increases in the minimum price of alcohol in B ritish C olumbia, C anada, between 2002 and 2009 were associated with immediate and delayed decreases in alcohol‐attributable mortality. By contrast, increases in the density of private liquor stores were associated with increases in alcohol‐attributable mortality.