The legacy of minimum legal drinking age law changes: long-term effects on suicide and homicide deaths among women.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Prior to the establishment of the uniform drinking age of 21 in the United States, many states permitted legal purchase of alcohol at younger ages. Lower drinking ages were associated with several adverse outcomes, including elevated rates of suicide and homicide among youth. The objective of this study is to examine whether individuals who were legally permitted to drink prior to age 21 remained at elevated risk in adulthood.

Methods

Analysis of data from the U.S. Multiple Cause of Death files, 1990 to 2004, combined with data on the living population from the U.S. Census and American Community Survey. The assembled data contained records on over 200,000 suicides and 130,000 homicides for individuals born between 1949 and 1972, the years during which the drinking

SUBMITTER: Grucza RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3587149 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature