WHO. The success story of Alcohol policy changes in the Russian Federation 2005–2016.
“Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian Federation experienced a major demographic and health crisis characterized by premature mortality, ill-health, and disability among young adults. Research on the underlying determinants of the increased mortality suggested that it was caused by the collapse of the social, economic, and health systems; a high prevalence of unhealthy behaviours; and lack of concerted efforts to prevent and control NCDs. The privatization and deregulation of the alcohol market in the 1990s may have contributed to the escalation of alcohol-related problems, with alcohol consumption contributing substantially to the increased morbidity and mortality levels.”
“Between 2007 and 2016, total (recorded and unrecorded) alcohol consumption was reduced by 3.5 litres of pure alcohol per capita. During the period 2005–2015, the number of new cases of alcoholic psychoses decreased from 52.3 to 20.5 per 100 000 population, with the death rate from alcohol use also declining, especially in males. Similar patterns were also observed among patients diagnosed with alcohol dependence and other alcohol-related diseases, along with an important reduction in total adult mortality – all of which are likely to be a result of the downward trends in general alcohol consumption.”
“Many of the policies implemented in the period 2005–2016 have been evidence-based, in line with the WHO Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and the WHO Global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013–2020 and were introduced in a step-wise manner. The country’s experience clearly demonstrates that comprehensive government initiatives that utilize evidence-based interventions and intersectoral approaches can produce notable results.”
“The new policies seem to have made an important contribution to reducing alcohol consumption in the Russian Federation with beneficial effects on morbidity and mortality.”
