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Comparison of Indices of Alcohol Consumption in the Finnish 1984 Drinking Habits Survey Data

NCJ Number
126639
Journal
Drinking and Drug Practices Surveyor Issue: 22 Dated: (May 1988) Pages: 3-10
Author(s)
J Simpura
Date Published
1988
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A 1984 survey of 3,624 residents of Finland gathered data on alcohol consumption and was used to compare three measures of annual alcohol intake.
Abstract
The respondents were ages 15 to 69. Those reporting no consumption of alcohol in the last 12 months were defined as abstainers. Alcoholic beverages were defined to include all but the mildest beverage types, which have less than 2.25 percent alcohol content by volume and make only a negligible contribution to alcohol consumption in Finland. The three measures used were the period estimate, which projects annual consumption based on results for a specific time period; the estimate of drinking during the last week; and the quantity-frequency index focusing on typical frequencies and quantities per occasion. Results show that the measurement procedure is not decisive in comparing populations and subpopulations. In addition, the quantity-frequency estimate seems more accurate than the method of surveying specific drinking occasions among the heaviest drinkers. Furthermore, the overall drinking frequency should not be used to replace measures of the volume of consumption. Tables and 18 references

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