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Significant decrease in the rate of fatal alcohol poisonings in Finland validated by blood alcohol concentration
Pirkko Kriikku1, Ilkka Ojanperä2
1Forensic Toxicology Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O.Box 30, 00271, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O.Box 40, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|November 18, 2019
Summary
Fatal alcohol poisonings in Finland have significantly decreased, a real trend not an artifact. This decline in acute alcohol poisoning deaths is likely due to reduced alcohol consumption.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Toxicology
- Public Health
- Alcohol Research
Background:
- Alcohol consumption can lead to death via acute poisoning, illness, or accidents.
- Investigated whether the declining trend in fatal alcohol poisonings in Finland is genuine or an artifact of death investigation processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the observed decrease in acute fatal alcohol poisonings in Finland.
- To determine if changes in death investigation procedures influenced the recorded trends.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed 12,126 cases of acute alcohol poisoning from Finland's national post-mortem toxicology database (1987-2018).
- Examined blood alcohol concentration (BAC), age, and gender data.
- Compared acute alcohol poisoning deaths with alcohol-induced illness deaths.
Main Results:
- Acute alcohol poisonings decreased by 60.1% between 2004 and 2017.
- Alcohol-induced illness deaths remained stable or decreased marginally.
- Median BAC showed a slight decrease; the proportion of women increased, and they were older on average.
Conclusions:
- The significant reduction in fatal alcohol poisonings is a genuine trend.
- This decrease is likely attributable to changes in overall alcohol consumption patterns.
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