Alcohol Consumption Is Associated with Increased All-Cause Mortality in Russian Men and Women: A Study Based on the Mortality of Relatives

Amanda Nicholson, University College London
Martin Bobak, University College London
Michael Murphy, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Michael Marmot, University College London

The relation between alcohol consumption and mortality in Russia does not appear to follow the western pattern of a U- or J-shaped curve, but reliable data from Russia are sparse. We used a method based on extending the indirect demographic (Brass) techniques to form a convenience cohort of 10,475 men and 3,129 women aged 30 years and over. Respondents in a cross-sectional survey of a random sample of the Russian population provided information on their relatives, including their vital status data, frequency of any drinking and of binge drinking, smoking and education. Both drinking frequency and binge drinking were positively associated with all-cause mortality; the associations remained strong and significant after adjustment for a number of covariates. There was no evidence of a protective effect of moderate drinking. The results and the potentials and limitations of the method are discussed.