Importance: At the individual level, alcohol use is an established risk factor for suicide; however, it is unclear whether this is reflected at the population level. If alcohol consumption per capita (APC), a population-level metric of total alcohol consumption used in international frameworks to measure progress in reducing the harmful use of alcohol, is associated with suicide, it could prove to be a useful target for suicide prevention initiatives.

Question: Is alcohol consumption per capita associated with suicide mortality and, if so, does the association differ by sex?

Findings: This meta-analysis included 13 studies and found that a 1-L increase in alcohol consumption per capita was associated with a 3.59% increase in the suicide mortality rate. There was no evidence of a sex difference in this association.

Meaning: These findings suggest that alcohol consumption per capita may be a useful target to consider within comprehensive national suicide prevention strategies.