Health at a Glance 2011
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Health at a Glance 2011

OECD Indicators

This sixth edition of Health at a Glance provides the latest comparable data on different aspects of the performance of health systems in OECD countries. It provides striking evidence of large variations across countries in the costs, activities and results of health systems. Key indicators provide information on health status, the determinants of health, health care activities and health expenditure and financing in OECD countries.   Each indicator in the book is presented in a user-friendly format, consisting of charts illustrating variations across countries and over time, brief descriptive analyses highlighting the major findings conveyed by the data, and a methodological box on the definition of the indicator and any limitations in data comparability.
Publication Date :
23 Nov 2011
DOI :
10.1787/health_glance-2011-en
 
Chapter
 

Alcohol consumption among adults You or your institution have access to this content

Authors:
OECD
DOI :
10.1787/health_glance-2011-17-en

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The health burden related to excessive alcohol consumption, both in terms of morbidity and mortality, is considerable in most parts of the world (Rehm et al., 2009; WHO, 2004a). High alcohol intake is associated with numerous harmful health and social consequences, such as increased risk of heart, stroke and vascular diseases, as well as liver cirrhosis and certain cancers. Foetal exposure to alcohol increases the risk of birth defects and intellectual impairments. Alcohol also contributes to death and disability through accidents and injuries, assault, violence, homicide and suicide, and is estimated to cause more than 2 million deaths worldwide per year. In the Russian Federation, the sharp rise in premature mortality and decline in life expectancy during the 1990s was due, in part, to excessive alcohol consumption (WHO, 2004a). It is, however, one of the major avoidable risk factors for disease.
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