Mortality related to alcohol consumption and its impact on life expectancy of the Argentinian Northwestern population, 2011

Abstract

Out of the deaths that occurred in 2012 worldwide, 5.9% were caused by harmful consumption of alcohol (WHO, 2014). In Argentina, during 2008 there were 11,013 deaths attributed to alcohol consumption (3.6% of total deaths in population) (ACOSTA, BERTONE e PELÁEZ, 2012). Alcohol consumption per capita by people aged 15 and over in Argentina remained at around 9.5 liters of pure alcohol (equivalent to 25 grams of alcohol per day), considering average figures for the years 2003-2005 and 2008-2010 (WHO, 2014). This quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional study aims to analyze mortality attributable to alcohol consumption in the provinces of the Argentinian Northwest in 2011, and how this affects life expectancy of these populations. The methodologies proposed by the CDC (1990) - Mortality Attributable to Alcohol Consumption (MACA) and Years of Lost Life Expectancy (AEVP) have been applied (ARRIAGA, 1996). Data provided by DEIS (vital statistics) and INDEC (EnPreCoSP-2011 and population projections) have been used. This article seeks to provide updated information on the status of mortality attributable to alcohol consumption, which is a contribution to public health in order to assess the implementation of appropriate strategies.

Keywords
Mortality; Alcohol; Argentinian Northwestern population; Years of Lost Life Expectancy