Aims: To assess changes in alcohol consumption attributable to the Great Hanshin Earthquake to test the assumption that alcohol consumption increases after natural disasters.
Methods: Quarterly alcohol sales figures were compared for three periods: before, immediately after and subsequent to the Great Hanshin Earthquake in three areas of the Hyogo prefecture: the severely affected area, the moderately affected area and the unaffected area. Possible confounding by population movement, damage to retail outlets and normal variation in sales, was assessed.
Findings: The quantity of alcoholic beverages consumed in the heavily damaged areas as well as throughout the prefecture decreased from the 1994 pre-disaster level, both immediately after the Great Hanshin Earthquake (January-March 1995) and 2 years after the disaster. This finding remained once possible confounding factors were taken into consideration.
Conclusions: More attention should be placed on drinking in the cultural context where a disaster occurs. It may sometimes deter, rather than encourage, drinking among the affected population.