Alcohol use, economic development and health burden: A conceptual framework

Abstract

Economic development has been identified as an important influencing contributor to life expectancies: wealthier countries have lower mortality rates and different causes of death.  Economic development also impacts alcohol consumption, as upper-middle and high-income countries, on average, have higher levels of consumption and less abstention.  This often leads to a paradoxical situation whereby for low- and middle income countries increases in alcohol consumption are associated with decreases in alcohol-attributable mortality rates.  These increases in consumption may diminish the benefits of economic development.  Alcohol control policies can reduce the health and social burdens of increased alcohol use that result from economic development.  Two case examples of Thailand and Vietnam which are presented.  From 2010 to 2019 Thailand experienced a 3.7% increase in APC, a 9.8% decrease in all-cause mortality per 100,000 people, and a 1.4% decrease in alcohol-attributable mortality per 100,000 people.  From 2010 to 2019 Vietnam experienced a 26.8% increase in APC, a 6.7% decrease in all-cause mortality per 100,000 people, and a 3.7% increase in alcohol-attributable mortality per 100,000 people. Due to a failure to implement strong alcohol control policies Vietnam has experienced an increase in alcohol-attributable mortality despite decreases in all-cause mortality. Accordingly, the implementation of alcohol control policies, can diminish the increases in alcohol use for low- and middle-income countries that accompany economic development.