The Share of Illegal Alcohol in Total Alcohol Consumption in Northwest Russia in 1975-2008

Background: Estimation of total alcohol consumption is a challenge in many countries. Official data do not include home-made alcohol, which is a particular problem in Russia. We attempted to estimate the proportion of illegal alcohol and total alcohol consumption in three Russian regions.

Methods: Data on deaths and data on alcohol sales from 1975-2008 were obtained from regional statistical offices in Arkhangelsk, Murmansk and Vologda regions. Calculations of illegal and total alcohol consumption were performed using  Nordstrom’s method (1998) based on estimation of the difference between observed and predicted levels of alcohol-related deaths using the data on official alcohol consumption.

 

Results: In 1975-1984, the total level of alcohol consumption per capita (over 15 years of age) was 16.1±0.3 liters of absolute alcohol in Arkhangelsk region, 17.3±1.1 liters in Murmansk region, and 20.0±0.9 liters in Vologda region with the share of illegal alcohol of 0.4±0.1% in Arkhangelsk region, 8.3±3.9% in Murmansk region, and 27.3±2.6% in Vologda region for the same period. In the period of national anti-alcohol campaign (1985-1988), the total per capita level of alcohol consumption was 8.0±1.4 liters absolute alcohol in Arkhangelsk region, 11.7±2.2 liters in Murmansk region, and 13.5±3.9 liters in Vologda region. In 1990-1999, the share of illegal alcohol was 56.5% in Arkhangelsk region, 30.5% in Vologda region, and 52.3% in Murmansk region. In 2000-2008, the total per capita alcohol consumption was 17.4±4.4 liters in Arkhangelsk region, 20.7±2.8 liters in Vologda region, and 14.5±0.8 liters in Murmansk region. The share of illegal alcohol dropped to 1.1±1.2% in Arkhangelsk region, 23.9±4.8% in Vologda region, and 6.6±2.2% in Murmansk region.

 

Conclusion: We observed huge variations in alcohol consumption and share of illegal alcohol between Russian regions and over time adding to the knowledge of alcohol as a major factor of Russian mortality crisis. The factors behing will be discussed.