P-42 - Social and Economic Consequences of Alcohol Consumption in the Republic of Belarus

Abstract

Introduction

Alcohol abuse leads to long-term consequences which affect all aspects of life. Alcohol intoxication weakens personal safety as it is linked with violence and other injuries, with alcohol addiction as a significant risk of regular drinking and with toxic effects potentially affecting all organs and systems. The burden of alcohol-related diseases occurs among young people and teenagers, and lies more in men than in women.

Aims

Working Group, established by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus, identified two major types of the economic costs associated with drunkenness and alcoholism: macroeconomic and microeconomic costs.

Methods

The costs of alcoholism and alcohol abuse include a one-time injury, loss of profit and the effects of indirect influence, and they are divided into direct and indirect. There are social incidents and events caused by direct and prolonged alcohol consumption. Some types of costs cannot be calculated on the basis of available statistics indicators.

Results

The structure of different kinds and types of macro-and microeconomic costs of drunkenness and alcoholism take into account one-time injury, loss of profit, the effects of indirect influence on the basis of medium and high risk of alcohol consumption. In 2008 the public expenses associated with drunkenness and alcoholism accounted for 7.23% of the country's GDP (GDP in 2008 totaled 128 trillion Br. rubles (approximately US $ 43 billion, according to the National Bank of Belarus for 2008).

Conclusions

Reduction of the alcohol-related burden should be among the top priorities of the state.