• Introduzione
• English version

Introduzione

L'abuso di alcol è la causa di numerose malattie, aumenta il rischio di stati cronici ed è spesso associato a situazioni di pericolo quali incidenti stradali, cadute, aggressioni. L'impatto dell'abuso di alcol incide pesantemente sulla qualità della vita di chi beve e delle loro famiglie; molto elevati sono anche i costi dell'assistenza sanitaria. Per affrontare tale situazione numerosi paesi nel mondo hanno focalizzato l'attenzione su politiche e interventi di sanità pubblica che maggiomente siano efficaci nella lotta all'abuso di alcol: tra questi le politiche che incidono sui prezzi delle bevande alcoliche sono, anche a livello internazionale, considerate le più efficaci. 
Lo studio Purshouse 2010 elabora un modello epidemiologico per stimare quali sarebbero gli effetti di 18 differenti politiche sui prezzi delle bevande alcoliche, se venissero implementate in Inghilterra sia sul mercato off trade, di supermercati e negozi, sia sul mercato on-trade, di pub e locali.


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English version

Summary

Background
Although pricing policies for alcohol are known to be effective, little is known about how specific interventions affect health-care costs and health-related quality-of-life outcomes for different types of drinkers. We assessed effects of alcohol pricing and promotion policy options in various population subgroups.

Methods
We built an epidemiological mathematical model to appraise 18 pricing policies, with English data from the Expenditure and Food Survey and the General Household Survey for average and peak alcohol consumption. We used results from econometric analyses (256 own-price and cross-price elasticity estimates) to estimate effects of policies on alcohol consumption. We applied risk functions from systemic reviews and meta-analyses, or derived from attributable fractions, to model the effect of consumption changes on mortality and disease prevalence for 47 illnesses.

Findings
General price increases were effective for reduction of consumption, health-care costs, and health-related quality of life losses in all population subgroups. Minimum pricing policies can maintain this level of effectiveness for harmful drinkers while reducing effects on consumer spending for moderate drinkers. Total bans of supermarket and off-license discounting are effective but banning only large discounts has little effect. Young adult drinkers aged 18–24 years are especially affected by policies that raise prices in pubs and bars.

Interpretation
Minimum pricing policies and discounting restrictions might warrant further consideration because
both strategies are estimated to reduce alcohol consumption, and related health harms and costs, with drinker spending increases targeting those who incur most harm.

Funding
Policy Research Programme, UK Department of Health.

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