scholarly journals Ride-Hailing Services and Alcohol Consumption: Longitudinal Analysis (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon Burtch ◽  
Brad N Greenwood ◽  
Jeffrey S McCullough

BACKGROUND Alcohol consumption is associated with a wide range of adverse health consequences and a leading cause of preventable deaths. Ride-hailing services such as Uber have been found to prevent alcohol-related motor vehicle fatalities. These services may, however, facilitate alcohol consumption generally and binge drinking in particular. OBJECTIVE The goal of the research is to measure the impact of ride-hailing services on the extent and intensity of alcohol consumption. We allow these associations to depend on population density as the use of ride-hailing services varies across markets. METHODS We exploit the phased rollout of the ride-hailing platform Uber using a difference-in-differences approach. We use this variation to measure changes in alcohol consumption among a local population following Uber’s entry. Data are drawn from Uber press releases to capture platform entry and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Systems (BRFSS) Annual Survey to measure alcohol consumption in 113 metropolitan areas. Models are estimated using fixed-effects Poisson regression. Pre- and postentry trends are used to validate this approach. RESULTS Ride-hailing has no association with the extent of alcohol consumption in high (0.61 [95% CI –0.05% to 1.28%]) or low (0.61 [95% CI –0.05% to 1.28%]) density markets, but is associated with increases in the binge drinking rate in high-density markets (0.71 [95% CI 0.13% to 1.29%]). This corresponds to a 4% increase in binge drinking within a Metropolitan Statistical Area. CONCLUSIONS Ride-hailing services are associated with an increase in binge drinking, which has been associated with a wide array of adverse health outcomes. Drunk driving rates have fallen for more than a decade, while binge drinking continues to climb. Both trends may be accelerated by ride-hailing services. This suggests that health information messaging should increase emphasis on the direct dangers of alcohol consumption and binge drinking.

Author(s):  
Christopher Carpenter ◽  
Katherine Harris

AbstractOver the past two decades, states have toughened their adult drunk driving laws by setting the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) threshold at .08, down from .10. Although several studies have shown that these laws have been effective at reducing alcohol-related traffic fatalities, there is very little evidence on the underlying behavioral mechanisms through which .08 BAC laws achieve the fatality reductions. We estimate reduced form models of the effects of .08 BAC laws on a wide range of self-reported alcohol-related risk behaviors using large samples from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 1999-2003 – a period when 32 states’ .08 BAC laws went into effect. Models with state and year fixed effects provide no evidence that .08 BAC laws reduced alcohol-involved driving, and we similarly find no effects on drinking participation or the likelihood of binge drinking. We do find robust evidence, however, that .08 BAC laws reduced past month alcohol consumption among moderate drinking males by about five percent. These reductions are larger for older, college educated, and married men. Taken together with results from previous research on other drunk driving interventions, our findings confirm a general deterrence effect and suggest that tougher drunk driving laws work primarily by reducing alcohol consumption.


Author(s):  
Ian Mark Greenlund ◽  
Hannah A. Cunningham ◽  
Anne L Tikkanen ◽  
Jeremy A Bigalke ◽  
Carl A Smoot ◽  
...  

Binge alcohol consumption elicits acute and robust increases of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), yet the impact of evening binge drinking on morning-after MSNA is unknown. The present study examined the effects of evening binge alcohol consumption on polysomnographic sleep and morning-after MSNA. We hypothesized that evening binge drinking (i.e. 4-5 drink equivalent in <2hrs) would reduce sleep quality and increase morning-after blood pressure (BP) and MSNA. Following a familiarization night within the sleep laboratory, twenty-two participants (12 men, 10 women; 25±1 years) were examined after simulated binge drinking or fluid control (randomized, crossover design). Morning MSNA was successfully recorded across both conditions in 16 participants (8 men, 8 women) during a 10-minute baseline and three Valsalva's maneuvers (VM). Binge drinking reduced rapid eye movement (REM) sleep (15±1 vs. 20±1%; p=0.003), increased stage II sleep (54±1 vs. 51±1%; p=0.002), increased total urine output (2.9±0.2 vs. 2.1±0.1 liters; p<0.001), but did not alter morning-after urine specific gravity. Binge drinking increased morning-after heart rate (65 (54-72) vs. 58 (51-67) beats/min; p=0.013), but not resting BP or MSNA. Binge drinking elicited greater sympathoexcitation during VM (38±3 vs. 43±3 bursts/min, p=0.036). Binge drinking augmented heart rate (p=0.002), systolic BP (p=0.022) and diastolic (p=0.037) BP reactivity to VM phase IV, and blunted cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity during VM phases II (p=0.028) and IV (p=0.043). In conclusion, evening binge alcohol consumption disrupted REM sleep and morning-after autonomic function. These findings provide new mechanistic insight into the potential role of binge drinking on cardiovascular risk.


Author(s):  
Christopher S Carpenter ◽  
Deborah D Kloska ◽  
Patrick O'Malley ◽  
Lloyd Johnston

Abstract We provide the first historical comparative analysis of the effects of Minimum Legal Drinking Ages (MLDA), beer taxes, and "Zero Tolerance" (ZT) underage drunk driving laws on the drinking behaviors of high school seniors using confidential area-identified data from the 1976-2003 waves of the Monitoring the Future (MTF) Surveys. We estimate reduced form models of drinking participation and heavy episodic drinking that account for state and year fixed effects. Our findings confirm that nationwide increases in the MLDA in the late 1970s and 1980s and adoption of ZT laws in the 1990s both significantly reduced alcohol consumption by high school seniors, with larger effects for the MLDA than for ZT laws. Higher beer taxes are also estimated to reduce youth drinking participation. Overall, the results confirm that a variety of types of government intervention can have important effects on youth alcohol consumption.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Jimenez ◽  
Ryan Moreno ◽  
Erik Settles ◽  
Bart J Currie ◽  
Paul Keim ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundBinge drinking, a common form of alcohol consumption, is associated with increased mortality and morbidity; yet, its effects on the immune system’s ability to defend against infectious agents are poorly understood.Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis can occur in healthy humans, yet binge alcohol use is progressively being recognized as a major risk factor. Although our previous studies demonstrated that binge alcohol exposure results in reduced alveolar macrophage function and increasedBurkholderiavirulencein vitro, no experimental studies have investigated the outcomes of binge alcohol onBurkholderiaspp. infectionin vivo.Principal FindingsWe used the close genetic relatives ofB. pseudomallei, B. thailandensisE264 andB. vietnamiensis, as useful BSL-2 model systems. Eight-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were administered alcohol comparable to human binge drinking episodes (4.4 g/kg) or PBS intraperitoneally 30 min before a non-lethal intranasal infection. In an initialB. thailandensisinfection (3 x 105), bacteria accumulated in the lungs and disseminated to the spleen in alcohol administered mice only, compared with PBS treated mice at 24 h post-infection (PI). The greatest bacterial load occurred withB. vietnamiensis(1 x 106) in lungs, spleen, and brain tissue by 72 h PI. Pulmonary cytokine expression (TNF-α, GM-CSF) decreased, while splenic cytokine (IL-10) increased in binge drunk mice. Increased lung and brain permeability was observed as early as 2 h post alcohol administrationin vivo.Trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) was significantly decreased, while intracellular invasion of non-phagocytic cells increased with 0.2% v/v alcohol exposurein vitro.ConclusionsOur results indicate that a single binge alcohol dose suppressed innate immune functions and increased the ability of less virulentBurkholderiastrains to disseminate through increased barrier permeability and intracellular invasion of non-phagocytic cells.Author SummaryBurkholderia pseudomalleicauses the disease melioidosis, which occurs in most tropical regions across the globe. Exposure rarely evolves to significant disease in the absence of specific comorbidities, such as binge alcohol intoxication. In susceptible hosts, the disease is primarily manifested as pneumonic melioidosis and can be rapidly fatal if untreated. In this study, we utilizedB. thailandensis, a genetically similar strain toB. pseudomallei, and opportunisticB. vietnamiensis, a known human pathogen that utilizes similar virulence strategies asB. pseudomalleiin immunocompromised and cystic fibrosis patients. The study investigates the impact of a single binge alcohol episode on infectivity and immune responsein vivo. We show that a single binge alcohol episode prior to inhalingBurkholderiaspecies increases bacterial spread to the lungs and brain. We also identify alcohol-induced tissue permeability and epithelial cell invasion as modes of action for greater bacterial spread and survival inside the host. Our results support the public health responses being developed in melioidosis-endemic regions that emphasize the nature of binge drinking as a prime concern, especially around potential times of exposure to environmentalB. pseudomallei.


Geografie ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-383
Author(s):  
Aleš Bělohradský ◽  
Daniela Glocker

Health outcomes in Central and Eastern Europe have been generally improving over the last two decades. However, in Czechia, similar to other countries, the outcomes vary significantly across the regional dimension. In 2016, life expectancy at birth ranged from between 75.5 to 80 years – across 77 districts. This article empirically analyses the determinants of these differences using a wide range of explanatory variables that are available on a district level. Applying factor analysis, our findings indicate that the socio-economic situation within a district is the main driver – explaining a difference of up to four years in life expectancy at birth. Further, controlling for gender specific variables, the results suggest that for men alcohol consumption significantly reduces life expectancy. Both factors capturing the socio-economic situation and alcohol consumption exceed the impact of health care accessibility or environmental causes on life expectancy. The results remain robust when using more disaggregated information on 206 administrative districts – per geographic scale.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Shapiro ◽  
Fazle Karim ◽  
Guido Muscioni ◽  
Abel Saju Augustine

BACKGROUND The dynamics of the COVID-19 epidemic vary due to local population density and policy measures. When making decisions, policy makers consider an estimate of the effective reproduction number R_t which is the expected number of secondary infections by a single infected individual. OBJECTIVE We propose a simple method for estimating the time-varying infection rate and reproduction number R_t . METHODS We use a sliding window approach applied to a Susceptible-Infectious-Removed model. The infection rate is estimated using the reported cases for a seven-day window to obtain continuous estimation of R_t. The proposed adaptive SIR (aSIR) model was applied to data at the state and county levels. RESULTS The aSIR model showed an excellent fit for the number of reported COVID-19 positive cases, a one-day forecast MAPE was less than 2.6% across all states. However, a seven-day forecast MAPE reached 16.2% and strongly overestimated the number of cases when the reproduction number was high and changing fast. The maximal R_t showed a wide range of 2.0 to 4.5 across all states, with the highest values for New York (4.4) and Michigan (4.5). We demonstrate that the aSIR model can quickly adapt to an increase in the number of tests and associated increase in the reported cases of infections. Our results also suggest that intensive testing may be one of the effective methods of reducing R_t. CONCLUSIONS The aSIR model provides a simple and accurate computational tool to obtain continuous estimation of the reproduction number and evaluate the impact of mitigation measures.


1997 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thor Norström

The aim of the study was to estimate the trend in unregistered alcohol consumption in Sweden during the period 1960–1994. The estimation was based on the discrepancy between the observed trend in alcohol related harms (alcohol-related mortality, assault, homicide, and drunk driving) and the trend expected from registered alcohol sales. The impact of alcohol sales on these indicators were estimated by means of ARIMA-analyses, and then the error term series was calculated for each indicator, meaning the difference between the observed and the expected trends in harm rates. A factor analysis of the four error-term series yielded one single factor which was interpreted as the unregistered alcohol consumption. According to the outcome this would have increased linearly by about 80% during the study period. Some comparisons are made with other data; for example it is noted that the trend in travelling abroad reasonably matches the trend in estimated unregistered consumption.


2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-61
Author(s):  
Trishna R. Shimpi ◽  
Sumer N. Shikhare ◽  
Raymond Chung ◽  
Peng Wu ◽  
Wilfred C.G. Peh

Excess alcohol consumption is a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality globally. The pattern of consumption of alcoholic beverages has changed in our society in the recent past, with binge drinking becoming more and more common, especially among young adults. Abdominal pain following alcohol consumption can be secondary to a wide range of pathologies, the treatment algorithm of which can range from medical supportive treatment to more invasive life-saving procedures such as transarterial embolization and emergency laparotomy. Correct diagnosis, differentiation among these conditions, and implementing the correct management algorithm is heavily reliant on accurate and appropriate imaging. We review the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, imaging features and management options of acute abdominal emergencies secondary to binge drinking, based on a selection of illustrative cases.


2015 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
José P. Espada ◽  
Kenneth W. Griffin ◽  
María T. Gonzálvez ◽  
Mireia Orgilés

AbstractAlcohol consumption is a risk factor for motor vehicle accidents in young drivers. Crashes associated with alcohol consumption typically have greater severity. This study examines the prevalence of driving under the influence among Spanish youth and tests the theory of reasoned action as a model for predicting driving under the influence. Participants included 478 Spanish university students aged 17–26 years. Findings indicated that alcohol was the substance most associated with impaired driving, and was involved in more traffic crashes. Men engage in higher levels of alcohol and other drug use, and perceived less risk in drunk driving (p < .01). The study confirms that alcohol use and driving under the influence of alcohol are highly prevalent in Spanish young people, and some gender differences exist in these behaviors (p < .01). Furthermore, the study confirms the validity of theory of reasoned action as a predictive model of driving under the influence of alcohol among youth in Spain (p < .001) and can help in the design of prevention programs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja Rossen ◽  
Christina Boll ◽  
André Wolf

Abstract This study investigates the incidence of overeducation among graduate workers in 21 European Union countries and its underlying factors based on the European Labor Force Survey 2016. Although controlling for a wide range of covariates, the particular interest lies in the role of fields of study for vertical educational mismatch. The study reveals country differences in the impact of these factors. Compared to Social sciences, male graduates from, for example, Education, Health and welfare, Engineering, and ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) are less and those from Services and Natural sciences are more at risk in a clear majority of countries. These findings are robust against changes of the standard education. Moreover, some fields show gender-specific risks. We suggest that occupational closure, productivity signals and gender stereotypes answer for these cross-field and cross-country differentials. Moreover, country fixed effects point to relevant structural differences between national labor markets and between educational systems.


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