Effects of Gender, Ethnicity, and Medical Illness on Drinking Cessation in Older Primary Care Patients

Abstract

This study examined the effects of gender, ethnicity, and medical illness on cessation of alcohol consumption in late life by analyzing characteristics that distinguish current drinkers from former drinkers. Method: Participants were 211 medical patients aged 55 to 91 years, recruited from four urban public sector primary care clinics. Respondents completed the Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test and provided health and demographic data. A subset (n = 139) reported drinking history. Of these participants, 40% reported cessation of alcohol consumption at least 1 year prior to their participation in the study. Results: Older age, hypertension, and heart problems were associated with drinking cessation among women but not among men. In a logistic regression model, drinking cessation was predicted by being unmarried, being a member of an ethnic minority group, heart problems, and diabetes. Discussion: Physical illnesses may contribute to drinking cessation, especially in older women. Results have implications for alcohol interventions with older adults.

Alcohol Consumption, Medical Conditions, and Health Behavior in Older Adults

“…Similar to findings in a study of a small sample of older adult primary care patients, 16 heart disease was independently associated with drinking cessation among women but not among men. This may indicate that women with heart problems are more likely to stop drinking than men.…”

“…7,13 Because alcohol can exacerbate medical conditions and has potential for adverse medication interactions, older adults with health problems who drank when they were younger may stop drinking completely. [14][15][16] This tendency may explain why studies comparing older adults who drink heavily or moderately to those who abstain completely Address correspondence to Dr Satre, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Avenue, Box 0984, San Francisco, CA 94143. dereks@lppi.ucsf.edu. …”

“…25 In a study of 139 primary care patients in San Francisco, women who stopped drinking had higher rates of hypertension and heart problems than did current drinkers, whereas the same relationship was not observed among men. 16 Based on this limited literature, we anticipated that older women in the current study might be more likely to eliminate drinking in the presence of chronic health problems.There have been few studies of any kind examining ethnic differences in older adult drinking patterns. In one large study, adults 65 and over were included in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a nationally representative sample.…”

“…25 In a study of 139 primary care patients in San Francisco, women who stopped drinking had higher rates of hypertension and heart problems than did current drinkers, whereas the same relationship was not observed among men. 16 Based on this limited literature, we anticipated that older women in the current study might be more likely to eliminate drinking in the presence of chronic health problems.…”

La consommation excessive d’alcool chez la personne âgée

“…L'âge avancé, l'hypertension, le diabète, les maladies physiques et les problèmes cardiaques sont des facteurs de protection et facilitent l'arrêt de la consommation d'alcool chez les femmes (mais pas chez les hommes, voir Satre et Areán, 2005).…”