More alcohol policies lead to lower alcohol-related liver disease in Latin American countries
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Researchers found Latin American countries with more alcohol policies had lower alcohol consumption per capita, deaths due to traffic injuries and alcohol-associated cirrhosis, according to a presenter at the International Liver Congress.
“The alcohol per capita consumption in Latin America is high, reaching 6.8 liters of pure alcohol,” Luis Antonio Diaz, MD, from the department of gastroenterology, Catholic Pontific University of Chile School of Medicine, in Santiago, said during his presentation. “Countries with more alcohol-related public health policies have lower mortality due to alcohol-associated cirrhosis, alcohol use disorders and deadly road traffic injuries. Our results highlight the value of alcohol control policies in all countries to reduce the burden of excessive alcohol consumption.”
Antonio Diaz and colleagues performed an ecological multi-national study that included 20 countries in Latin America. Investigators collected country-level socio-demographic information from the World Bank Open Data source. In addition, they used the WHO Global Information System of Alcohol and Health to obtain data on alcohol policies. A fixed-effects model was used to estimate proportions and multiple linear regression models.
Results showed the average ± SD GINI index in 2016 was 45.9, and the mean ± SD gross domestic product per capita was US$ 14, 723. Among those 15 years older, the estimated alcohol per capita consumption was 6.84 liters of pure alcohol.
According to Diaz and colleagues, the countries with highest alcohol per capita consumption were Uruguay (10.8 liters), Argentina (9.8 liters) and Chile (9.3 liters). Investigators noted the prevalence of alcohol use disorder was 4.89%. Nineteen of the 20 Latin American countries had alcohol-related public health policies. Among the most frequent alcohol polices were limiting drinking age and youth focus (90%), alcohol and driving (90%), and government monitoring systems (90%).
Diaz and colleagues found the presence of alcohol polices in the country correlated with lower risk for alcohol use disorder (OR = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73–0.94), lower deaths due to traffic injuries (OR = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.71–0.98), and alcohol-associated cirrhosis (OR = 0.18; 95% CI, 0.07–0.46).
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Diaz LA, et al. Abstract: GS-2309. Presented at: The International Liver Congress; June 23-26 (virtual meeting).
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