A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests that the alcohol prohibition laws implemented in early 20th century America may have inadvertently led to increased life expectancy for individuals born in areas where alcohol was banned. Published in the journal Economics and Human Biology, this study is the first to delve into the long-term effects of Prohibition Era on longevity, providing valuable insights into the lasting consequences of alcohol exposure during pregnancy.
As the 90th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition approaches on December 5, 2023, these findings gain even greater significance. The study highlights a concerning trend of increasing alcohol consumption among pregnant women, with the rate rising from 9.2 percent in 2011 to 11.3 percent in 2018. A recent CDC report further revealed that this number now stands at approximately 14 percent.
Utilizing advanced analytical techniques and data from the prohibition era, the researchers present a nuanced assessment of the impact of prohibition on public health, particularly in relation to maternal alcohol use. It is now widely acknowledged that exposures during pregnancy can have extensive long-term effects on overall health due to disruptions in fetal development. The use of modern evaluation tools and access to new data sources enables researchers to retrospectively examine policies from a century ago, providing insights into their long-term consequences that were previously unattainable.
To conduct their study, lead author Jason Fletcher from the La Follette School of Public Affairs at UW-Madison, along with co-author Hamid Noghanibehambari from Austin Peay State University, analyzed Social Security Administration death records from the years 1975-2005, which were linked to the 1940 U.S. census. By identifying the counties of residence during birth, the researchers were able to determine whether alcohol sales were legal or prohibited at that time.
The varying timing of state and federal regulations that led to some regions becoming dry between 1900 and 1930 provided a natural experiment for investigating the effects of prohibition. Comparing the longevity of individuals who were exposed to these laws during early life and childhood to those who were not, Fletcher and Noghanibehambari discovered that being born in a county where alcohol was banned correlated with approximately 0.17 additional years of longevity during old age. Even after accounting for other factors, such as the prevalence of maternal alcohol consumption during a time when the dangers were not well understood, the researchers estimated that prohibition may have contributed an average of 1.7 extra years of life for individuals born in these counties.
To put this increased longevity into perspective, the study compared the results to the overall change in life expectancy for Americans born between 1900 and 1930. This cohort experienced a significant and unprecedented increase of approximately 11.8 years in life expectancy due to various factors, including advancements in medical technology, rising income levels, and improvements in welfare. The 1.7-year effect attributed to exposure to the temperance movement accounted for nearly 15% of the overall improvements in life expectancy for those born during this period.
These findings align with previous studies that have indicated a decrease in mortality rates, a decline in drug-related crime, and improvements in child health as a result of the reduced availability of alcohol during the Prohibition Era. Together, these research findings provide a deeper understanding of the impact of alcohol policies on public health and contribute to ongoing efforts to develop effective strategies for reducing maternal alcohol consumption.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
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