PREDICTORS OF PER CAPITA ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND GENDER-SPECIFIC LIVER CIRRHOSIS MORTALITY RATES: THIRTEEN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, CIRCA 1970-1984 AND 1995-2007

Regression models of cross-national differences in social and economic predictors of per capita alcohol consumption and gender-specific cirrhosis mortality rates are developed for 13 European countries, first using 1970-1984 (period 1) data and then replicating with 1995-2007 (period 2) data. Regression analysis finds that stronger alcohol control policy laws and income inequality are highly significant predictors of consumption in both periods. Further, results show that alcohol consumption is a significant predictor of male mortality rates in both periods, while it is significant only in the second period for female cirrhosis mortality rates. Psychological well-being is a significant predictor for male and female cirrhosis mortality rates in both periods.