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European Region Albania Sociodemographic characteristics POPULATION 1980 1990 1995 Total 2 671 000 3 289 000 3 441 000 Adult (15+) 1 715 000 2 213 000 2 362 000 % Urban 33.8 35.8 37.3 % Rural 66.2 64.3 62.7 Health status Life expectancy at birth, 1990-1995 : 69.2 (males), 75.0 (females) Infant mortality rate in 1990-1995 : 30 per 1000 live births Socioeconomic situation Average distribution of labour force by sector, 1990-1992 : agriculture 56%; industry 19%; services 25% Alcohol production, trade and industry Albania produces modest amounts of wine and beer. Wine production has fallen in the 1990s. Beer production in the early 1990s was in the range of 100 000 hectolitres. Alcohol consumption and prevalence Adult Per Capita Consumption (age 15+) 4 3 Total Beer 2 Spirits Alcohol 1 Wine Litres Absolute 0 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 Year Consumption Since 1990/1992 there has been a marked shift away from wine and spirits and towards beer in recorded consumption. This may be an indication of increased illegal or informal spirits and wine production and consumption. 191 COUNTRY PROFILES Mortality, morbidity, health and social problems from alcohol use Alcohol dependence and related disorders The number of alcohol dependent patients in Tirana Hospital ranged between 30 and 40 annually between 1985 and 1994. Of these, women constituted less than one per cent of all inpatient admissions. Mortality The SDR for chronic liver disease and cirrhosis was about five per 100 000 population in the 1990s. Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis 10 8 6 4 100,000 SDR per per SDR 2 0 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 Year Total Males Females Alcohol policies Control of alcohol problems The BAC limit for drivers is 0.01 g%. Armenia Sociodemographic characteristics POPULATION 1980 1990 1995 Total 3 072 000 3 352 000 3 599 000 Adult (15+) 2 137 000 2 332 000 2 533 000 % Urban 65.7 67.5 68.7 % Rural 34.3 32.5 31.3 Health status Life expectancy at birth, 1990-1995 : 69.5 (males), 75.5 (females) Infant mortality rate in 1990-1995 : 21 per 1000 live births Socioeconomic situation GNP per capita (US$), 1995: 730, PPP estimates of GNP per capita (current int’l $), 1995: 2260 Average distribution of labour force by sector, 1990-1992 : agriculture 11%; industry 32%; services 57% 192 EUROPEAN REGION Alcohol consumption and prevalence Adult Per Capita Consumption (age 15+) 2,5 2 Total Beer 1,5 Spirits 1 Alcohol Wine 0,5 Litres Absolute 0 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 Year Consumption Beer statistics take an inexplicable plunge after 1991. WHO’s European office estimated recorded consumption at 2.8 litres of pure alcohol per person in 1993, a figure slightly higher than that shown above. There is no information available for consumption of smuggled or home- or informally- produced alcohol. Prevalence An analysis of heavy drinkers showed that 57.2 per cent were manual workers, 18.9 per cent were peasants, 14.9 per cent were unemployed, 9.1 per cent were white collar workers and 0.1 per cent were retired. Economic impact of alcohol Consumer expenditure on alcoholic drinks, as a percentage of general expenditure on purchase of goods and payments for services, fell from 4 in 1990 to 1.7 in 1995. Mortality, morbidity, health and social problems from alcohol use Alcohol dependence and related disorders The rate of admission to inpatient for alcoholic psychosis treatment was 2.3 per 100 000 population in 1993, a decrease from the 1991 and 1980 rates of about 5 per 100 000. These rates were calculated using the 1992 population statistcs since population figures for earlier years were unavailable. The number of patients with alcoholic addiction registered at hospitals and other clinics at the end of the year was 4.5 per 100 000 population in 1991, down from 5.2 in 1990. Mortality The SDR for chronic liver disease was 15.3 per 100 000 population (all ages) in 1992, very similar to the 1991 rate. Alcohol policies Control of alcohol products The real prices of all three types of alcoholic beverage i.e. beer, spirits and wine, have been increasing during the early 1990s. There is no maximum legal limit for the alcohol content of beverages. Labels for alcohol content are required by law. Control of alcohol problems There is no information available on the exact BAC limit permissible by law, but suspension of a driving licence is usual on conviction for an offence of exceeding the limit, and random alcohol breath testing is conducted frequently. Alcohol data collection, research and treatment There are no institutes that specialize in, or have major responsibility for, research on alcohol issues. 193 COUNTRY PROFILES In the early 1990s developing specialized treatment for alcohol dependence and other alcohol problems became a high priority. The Republican Narcological Dispensary (RND) in Solerudnik is the national agency dealing with alcohol-related problems. Its activities include prevention, inpatient and outpatient treatment and follow-up, and provision of professional expertise in the area of intoxication and toxicological facilities. Apart from the RND, there is also a City Narcological Dispensary in Gyumri. As a result of economic problems, the high cost of living, economic blockade, unemployment, geographical remoteness, and transport problems, alcohol dependent persons visit a physician or narcologist (a psychologist or psychiatrist who specializes in the treatment of addiction to alcohol or other drugs) only when suffering from such severe sequelae as psychosis, encephalopathy or polyneuritis. However, there has been an upward trend in the numbers presenting since the beginning of 1995 (twice the rate in 1994). Compared to other CIS countries, alcohol dependence is less of a major problem - there are no recorded examples of alcohol dependence among women or adolescents and there have not been, nor are there, any "sobering up" stations found elsewhere in the region. Austria Sociodemographic characteristics POPULATION 1980 1990 1995 Total 7 549 000 7 705 000 7 968 000 Adult (15+) 6 007 000 6 364 000 6 549 000 % Urban 54.8 55.4 55.5 % Rural 45.2 44.6 44.5 Health status Life expectancy at birth, 1990-1995 : 73.0 (males), 79.2 (females) Infant mortality rate in 1990-1995 : 7 per 1000 live births Socioeconomic situation GNP per capita (US$), 1995 : 26 890, PPP estimate of GNP per capita (current int’l $) : $21 250 Average distribution of labour force by sector, 1990-1992 : agriculture 7%; industry 37%; services 56% Adult literacy rate (per cent), 1995 : more than 95 Alcohol production, trade and industry Austria produces beer, distilled spirits and wine. The country's leading brands include Stock Brandy, Spitz Brandy and Eristoff Vodka. Just three spirits types i.e. brandy (non-cognac), rum and liqueurs currently account for nearly two-thirds of Austrian consumption. Alcohol consumption and prevalence Adult Per Capita Consumption (age 15+) 20 15 Total Beer 10 Spirits Alcohol Wine 5 Litres Absolute 0 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 Year 194 EUROPEAN REGION Consumption The alcoholic beverages of choice are beer and wine. Pear, apple and grape ciders reportedly account for six per cent of all absolute alcohol consumed, and are not reflected in the graph above. Prevalence A 1994 survey of a representative sample of 2000 Austrians aged 16 to 99 years showed that 16.2 per cent of the entire population (28.8 per cent of males and 4.3 per cent of females) consume an average of 60 grams alcohol per day or more, and 24.3 per cent (41 per cent of males and 8.5 per cent of females) consume an average of 40 grams per day. A study carried out in 1985 among a representative sample of 2044 people aged 15 to 40 years found that 11.5 per cent drank daily, 33 per cent drank more than 60 grams pure alcohol daily, and 16 per cent abstained completely from alcohol. Age Patterns In 1994 a survey of more than 3000 15 year old students found that of boys, 79.3 per cent had tried alcoholic beverages and 52.4 per cent had drunk alcoholic beverages more than 10 times in ninth grade. Of girls, 78.6 per cent had tried alcoholic beverages, and 43.1 per cent had drunk alcoholic beverages more than 10 times in ninth grade. A 1993/1994 WHO study among 15 year old boys and girls showed that 96.2 per cent of boys had tried alcoholic beverages, 40.2 per cent drank alcoholic beverages at least weekly and 45.6 per cent had been drunk at least twice. Of girls, 94.6 per cent had tried alcoholic beverages, 24.9 per cent drank alcoholic beverages at least weekly and 30.4 per cent had been drunk at least twice. Mortality, morbidity, health and social problems from alcohol use Alcohol dependence and related disorders The number of people per 100 000 population treated in hospitals for alcoholic psychosis decreased from 29.7 to 24.2 between 1990 and 1993. However, the SDR per 100 000 population for alcohol dependence has been rising during the late 1990s. Alcohol Dependence 8 6 4 100,000 SDR per per SDR 2 0 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 Year Total Males Females Mortality The SDR per 100 000 population for chronic liver disease decreased from 29.2 to 25.9 between 1980 and 1993. Chronic Liver Disease and Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes Cirrhosis 70 60 60 50 40 40 30 100,000 20 SDR per 20 100,000 SDR per per SDR 10 0 0 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 Year Year Total Males Females Total Males Females 195 COUNTRY PROFILES Social problems The number of people killed in motor vehicle accidents related to alcohol was 118 in 1993, compared to 245 in 1980, giving death rates per 100 000 population of 1.5 and 3.2 respectively.