Socioeconomic inequalities in alcohol consumption in Argentina: Comparative analysis from 2009, 2013, and 2018

CARRAZANA RIVERA, ANDREA; DE SANTIS, MARIANA

DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE

ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD

Año: 2021 vol. 227

0376-8716

ackground: The present study investigates the socioeconomic inequalities in alcohol use and harmful drinking in Argentina, a middle-income beer- and wine-producing country with high levels of alcohol consumption. Methods: Data from the last three waves (2009, 2013, and 2018) of the National Risk Factors Survey were used. Each wave comprised samples of 34,732, 32,365, and 29,224 individuals, respectively. Outcome measures included the prevalence of alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking (HED). The Erreygers concentration index was employed to measure the socioeconomic inequalities. Results: HED prevalence among drinkers increased from 17 % in 2009 to 25 % in 2018. Overall, the results showed significant pro-rich inequality for alcohol use and pro-poor inequality for HED, indicating that while a smaller proportion of the most disadvantaged population consumed alcohol, harmful drinking tended to concentrate among them. Pro-rich inequality for alcohol use was deeper in the population age