Alcohol poisonings and relative gender difference in total mortality in Russia

Abstract

Objective. In present study we will test the hypothesis of the close aggregate level link between intoxication-oriented pattern of alcohol consumption and relative gender difference in total mortality rates in Russia using data on sex-specific mortality rates and fatal alcohol poisonings rate (as a proxy for intoxication-oriented pattern of alcohol consumption) between 1980 and 2010. Materials and methods. To examine the relationship between independent variable (fatal alcohol poisonings) and dependent variable (relative gender difference in total mortality) a Spearman correlation analysis was performed using the statistical package “Statistica 12. StatSoft.” Results. According to the results of analysis, intoxication-oriented pattern of alcohol consumption is a statistically significant factor associated with relative gender gap in total mortality in all age groups in Russia. The results of the analysis also suggest that the yang and middle age groups have the strongest relationship between fatal alcohol poisonings and relative gender gap in total mortality. Conclusion. The outcomes of this study provide indirect support for the hypothesis that intoxication-oriented pattern of alcohol consumption is a major contributor to the high relative gender difference in total mortality among yang and middle-age population and its dramatic fluctuations in Russia during the last few decades.