Changes in alcohol consumption between 2009 and 2014 assessed with the AUDIT

Abstract

Background: Alcohol habits in Sweden, assessed as sales and estimates of unrecorded consumption, have changed since joining the EU. Earlier studies using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) showed that reported consumption is consistent with sales data, which makes it possible to assess consumption according to sex and age. Aims: This study reports the changes in alcohol habits between 2009 and 2014, a period starting a couple of years after Sweden joined the EU. Method: The AUDIT was sent to a random sample of the Swedish population aged between 17 and 80 years old. Results: No statistically significant changes were shown in six age and sex groups. Conclusions: Alcohol habits have stabilised in Sweden but on a higher consumption level than before.

Keywords

Alcohol consumption Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Swedish population

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Leifman

Trolldal

. Alkoholkonsumtionen I Sverige 2013 [The alcohol consumption in Sweden 2013] CAN-rapport 142. Stockholm: EO Grafiska, 2014.

Saunders

Aasland

Babor

. Development of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): WHO collaborative project on early detection of persons with harmful alcohol consumption – II. Addiction 1993;88:791–804.

Källmén

Wennberg

Lefman

. Alcohol habits in Sweden during 1997–2009 with particular focus on 2005–2009, assessed with the AUDIT: a repeated cross sectional study. Eur Addict Res 2011;17:90–96.

Källmén

Wennberg

Berman

. Alcohol habits in Sweden during 1997–2005 measured with the AUDIT. Nord J Psychiatry 2007;61:466–470.

Neve

RJM

Drop

Lemmens

. Gender differences in drinking behavior in the Netherlands: convergence or stability? Addiction 1994;91:357–373.

Leifman

Ramstedt

. Svenska folkets alkoholvanor under senare år med fokus på 2004–2009 [The Swedish alcohol habits during recent years with focus on 2004–2009]. Stockholm: STAD, 2009.

Bergman

Källmén

. Alcohol use among Swedes and a psychometric evaluation of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Alcohol 2002;37:245–251.

Bergman

Källmén

. Kvinnor har fått mer riskfyllda och skadligare alkoholvanor. Undersökning av förändringar i svenskarnas alkoholvanor åren 1997 och 2001 [Women have riskier and more harmful alcohol habits. Investigation of alcohol habits in the Swedish population 1997–2001]. Läkartidningen 2003;100:1028–1035.