Estudios científicos
Cost-effectiveness of raising alcohol excise taxes to reduce the injury burden of road traffic crashes
Abstract:
BACKGROUND:
Alcohol is an important risk factor for road transport injuries. We aimed to determine if raising alcohol taxes would be a cost-effective intervention strategy for reducing this burden.
METHODS:
We modelled the effect of a one-off increase in alcohol excise tax (NZ$0.15 (US$0.10)/standard drink) on alcohol consumption in New Zealand, using price elasticities to determine change in on-trade and off-trade sales of beer, cider, wine, spirits and ready-to-drink products. We simulated change in alcohol-attributable motor vehicle and motorcycle injuries, by age, sex and ethnicity, over the lifetime of the current population, and from changes in injuries, we determined changes in costs of health care, productivity, crime and vehicle damage.
RESULTS:
The modelled increase in tax led to a net 4.3% reduction in pure alcohol consumption and a 27% increase in excise tax revenue. Lifetime population health improved by 640 quality-adjusted life years (95% uncertainty interval: 450 to 860) and costs of treating transport injuries reduced by NZ$3.6 million ($0.88 million to $6.8 million), although this was countered by a $3.8 million ($2.9 million to $4.8 million) increase in costs of treating other diseases. Health care costs were far outweighed by a $240 million ($130 to $370 million) reduction in lost productivity, crime and vehicle damage costs. Cost-effectiveness was not highly sensitive to price elasticity values, discount rates or time horizons for measurement of outcomes.
CONCLUSION:
Raising alcohol excise tax in this high-income country would be highly cost-effective and could lead to substantial cost-savings for society.
Comentarios divulgativos:
En este estudio los autores evalúan la rentabilidad de incrementar los impuestos a las bebidas alcohólicas para reducir el riesgo de accidentes de tráfico. Para ello realizan un modelo en el que se considera un incremento de 0,10 $ por bebida en Nueva Zelanda.
Los resultados obtenidos muestran que éste incremento en el precio se relaciona con una reducción neta del 4,3% en la ingesta de alcohol puro. Mejora la esperanza de vida y se reduce el coste asociado al tratamiento de daños, aunque se incrementa el derivado del tratamiento de otras enfermedades. Por lo que concluyen que el incremento de las tasas al alcohol en el marco de un país con altos ingresos podría ser rentable y generaría ahorros sustanciales a la sociedad.
