Over 30 Slovenian experts participated in a two-day capacity-building workshop in Ljubljana, in October 2011, to estimate the economic burden of alcohol drinking in their country. Alcohol consumption in Slovenia is relatively high – above the average for countries in the European Union – and an understanding the economic burden of alcohol-related diseases is needed to advocate relevant anti-alcohol policy in the country. The Ministry of Health of Slovenia is committed to strengthen efforts to decrease the high average consumption of alcohol.
Income levels and alcohol consumption in Slovenia are clearly linked. People who live in municipalities with the lowest income-tax base per capita have greater risks of premature death from both causes wholly attributable to alcohol (2.5 times greater for men and 2.8 times greater for women) and liver cirrhosis (3.1 times for men and 4.5 times for women). In addition, drinking habits show a significant gender difference: both heavy drinking and episodic heavy drinking are five times more likely among men. > > > > Read More
