The Societal Cost of Alcohol Consumption: An Estimation of the Economic and Human Cost including Health Effects in Sweden, 2002

• Published in: The European journal of health economics 2008-11, Vol.9 (4), p.351-360
• Main Authors: Jarl, Johan, Johansson, Pia, Eriksson, Antonina, Eriksson, Mimmi, Gerdtham, Ulf-G., Hemström, Örjan, Selin, Klara Hradilova, Lenke, Leif, Ramstedt, Mats, Room, Robin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcohol; Alcohol drinking; Alcohol Drinking - economics; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Alcohol use; Alcoholism - complications; Alcoholism - economics; Alcohols; Capital costs; Chronic illnesses; COI; Cost efficiency; Cost estimates; Cost of Illness; Debates; Disease; Economic costs; Economic impact; Economic Policy; Epidemiology; Female; Health Care Costs; Health Care Management; Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy; Health Economics; Health Expenditures; Health Sciences; Health Status; Human capital; Humans; Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi; Hälsovetenskap; Male; Medical and Health Sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Mortality; Original Paper; Pharmacoeconomics and Health Outcomes; Prevalence; Production costs; Productivity; Public Finance; Public Health; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Sensitivity analysis; Social cost; Society; Socioeconomic factors; Studies; Sweden
• ISSN: 1618-7598; 1618-7601; 1618-7601
• DOI: 10.1007/s10198-007-0082-1

This article estimates the societal cost of alcohol consumption in Sweden in 2002, as well as the effects on health and quality of life. The estimation includes direct costs, indirect costs and intangible costs. Relevant cost-of-illness methods are applied using the human capital method and prevalence-based estimates, as suggested in existing international guidelines, allowing cautious comparison with prior studies. The results show that the net cost (i.e. including protective effects of alcohol consumption) is 20.3 billion Swedish kronor (SEK) and the gross cost (counting only detrimental effects) is 29.4 billon (0.9 and 1.3% of GDP). Alcohol consumption is estimated to cause a net loss of 121,800 QALYs. The results are within the range found in prior studies, although at the low end. A large number of sensitivity analyses are performed, indicating a sensitivity range of 50%.