The use of aggregate data in alcohol epidemiology

Analyses of aggregate data have the potential of elucidating pivotal issues in alcohol epidemiology, in particular those singled out by the public health perspective, such as the impact of per capita alcohol consumption on various damage rates. This article discusses the possibilities and limitations of the two main approaches in the analysis of aggregate data, focusing upon ecological and time series data, respectively. In addition, a synthetic approach is outlined, which aims at an integration of macro and micro findings. In that context it is shown how effect measures which are normally based on micro data (relative risk and attributable fraction) can be derived from macro data.