[Alcohol consumption and mortality among kaunas population aged 35-64 years from 1983 to 2002]

To evaluate time trends in alcohol consumption habits and alcohol-related mortality among Kaunas (Lithuania) population aged 35--64 years from 1983 to 2002.

The WHO MONICA study was carried out in Kaunas from 1983 to 2002. Alcohol consumption habits were determined using the data of four surveys among random samples of population aged 35-64 years (overall 3292 men and 3548 women, the response rate 65.1%). The source of mortality data is official mortality statistics of all permanent residents of Kaunas aged 35-64 years in 1983-2002. Age-standardized rates were calculated by the direct method and using World population as a standard. The trends were analyzed using the method of linear regression on logarithms of the age-standardized annual rates.

Over the 20 years, the prevalence of regular alcohol consumption significantly increased among both men and women. At the same time, there was an increase in the study population of a mean level of consumed alcohol and the proportion of drinkers consuming alcohol frequently. During 1983 to 2002 mortality rates from external causes and suicides were increasing significantly among men (by 2.1%/yr., p = 0.039 and by 3.4%/yr., p = 0.0002, respectively) and have not changed among women.

Negative trends in alcohol consumption habits and alcohol-related mortality among urban Lithuanian population aged 35-64 years during the past 20 years were determined.