Alcohol use is a well-known risk factor for injury. However, information is needed about alcohol drinking patterns and the risk of injury among older adults in low- and middle-income countries as this population grows. The researchers aimed to examine the influence of drinking patterns on the burden of injury and investigate factors associated with different types of injury in older populations in six emerging economies.
Researchers from the WHO, Alcohol research group (ARG), University of California, Berkeley (USA), Massey University (New Zealand), University of Newcastle (Australia) and SERAF at the University of Oslo joined forces.
The data stemmed from six countries; Russia, Ghana, South-Africa, China, India and Mexico and included more than 37.000 individuals aged 50 years and older. Data were collected during 2007-2010, by the WHO and local research teams in each participating country. The current paper was mainly written during 2014/15 while Professor Thomas Clausen was a visiting Fulbright fellow at the Alcohol Research group in California.
The main focus of the paper was to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of injury among persons aged 50 years and older. Approximately 7% reported at least one injury during the past year and an association with alcohol consumption was observed for injuries caused by others.
Trauma as a result of violence was more common among men, but the relationship with alcohol consumption and becoming a victim of violence was stronger among women. Higher alcohol consumption among the victims was associated with higher risk of injury caused by others.
In the context of increasing alcohol consumption and higher accept for alcohol consumption also among women in low-and middle income countries, violent injuries caused by others is a public health concern potentially with increasing magnitude. Preventive efforts to reduce alcohol related harms and injury should be a priority for public health specialists and policy makers in these regions.
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