Future Directions for Aging and Alcohol

Kuerbis, Alexis; Moore, Alison; Sacco, Paul; Zanjani, Faika

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-47233-1_17

Cited by 7 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…Our finding of only 7% men and 15% women reporting abstinence in 2015–16 is in contrast to the findings by Nuevo et al (2015) from 14 European countries, where an average of 55% abstainers was found among older adults over 60 years [ 13 ], the same prevalence as reported among US older adults [ 37 ]. It is, however, in line with epidemiologic studies from Norway and other Nordic countries with an observed prevalence of abstinence between 7 and 23%, depending on age group and sex [ 18 , 38 – 40 ].…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

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The changing alcohol drinking patterns among older adults show that women are closing the gender gap in more frequent drinking: the Tromsø study, 1994–2016

Stelander

Høye

Bramness

et al. 2021

Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy

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Background As the population of older adults continues to grow, changes in alcohol consumption are important to monitor because an increase may have public health consequences. Rates of alcohol use vary with geographical location. The aim of this study was to examine trends in alcohol consumption among older adults in a geographically defined area in Norway, especially changing sex differences in drinking patterns over a 22-year period. Methods Repeated cross-sectional survey (in 1994–95, 2007–08, and 2015–16) of a general population of older adults. Eligible for this study were 20,939 participants (aged 60–99 years). The data were analysed using generalized estimating equations, stratified by age and sex. Alcohol consumption and drinking patterns were assessed, using an adaptation of the AUDIT-C. Results Between 1994 and 2016, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of current drinkers among older adults. Furthermore, the probability of frequent drinking (alcohol consumption at least twice weekly) increased significantly between 1994 and 2016, particularly among older women; OR 8.02 (CI 5.97–10.79) and OR 5.87 (CI 4.00–8.63) in the age groups 60–69 and 70+ respectively for women, and OR 4.13 (CI 3.42–4.99) and OR 3.10 (CI 2.41–3.99), in the age groups 60–69 and 70+ respectively for men. The majority of older adults drank small amounts of alcohol on typical drinking days, but there was an increasing probability of drinking three drinks or more on each occasion over the study period, except among women aged 70+ years. Conclusions Among older adults in Norway, alcohol consumption in terms of frequency and quantity on typical drinking days has increased considerably from 1996 to 2016. This change is in the opposite direction of what has been reported among younger adults. The gap between women and men in frequent drinking has been markedly narrowed, which indicate that women’s drinking patterns are approaching those of men. This may involve a need to change alcohol policy in Norway to more targeted interventions aimed at older people.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…Binging is considered to be most harmful in old age [ 28 , 37 ], and our study shows that 46% of participants between 60 and 70 years reported HED on at least one occasion last year. This prevalence of HED was larger than observed in other European countries [ 5 , 14 , 45 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

The changing alcohol drinking patterns among older adults show that women are closing the gender gap in more frequent drinking: the Tromsø study, 1994–2016

Stelander

Høye

Bramness

et al. 2021

Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Considering the elevated susceptibility to harms from alcohol with increasing age, the increase in alcohol consumption among older adults has fuelled concerns regarding health consequences ( Anderson et al, 2012 ). While the current cohort of older adults is more diverse with regard to health and social characteristics than earlier cohorts ( Kuerbis et al, 2016 ), relatively little research has focused specifically on such diversity in older adulthood and alcohol use ( Kuerbis et al, 2016 ). In the present study, we examine alcohol use across four European countries and in relation to various demographic and health characteristics, applying available survey data from a project on sexual health among older adults.…”

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confidence: 99%

Alcohol use among older adults: A comparative study across four European countries

Rossow

Træen

2020

Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs

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Aims: (i) To examine whether mean consumption and prevalence of at-risk drinking are highly correlated across samples of older adults, and (ii) to explore whether sociodemographic and health characteristics of alcohol use differ across countries. Method: Cross-sectional surveys were conducted in four European countries, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Portugal, applying identical data collection methods and survey instruments in general population samples of older adults aged 60 to 75 years. Alcohol consumption was measured as units of alcohol per week, which provided the basis for categorising the two outcome measures: abstention (0 units/week) and at-risk drinking (8+ units/week). Cross-tabulations and logistic regression models were estimated to examine associations between sociodemographic and health characteristics on the one hand and alcohol abstention and at-risk drinking on the other. Results: Prevalence of abstention was highest in Portugal and lowest in Denmark, whereas at-risk drinking was more prevalent in Denmark and Belgium compared to Norway and Portugal. Among country- and gender-specific samples of drinkers, there was a strong positive correlation between mean consumption and prevalence of at-risk drinkers. Female gender characterised abstention, whereas male gender characterised at-risk drinking in all four countries. Other sociodemographic characteristics and indicators of health and wellbeing were differently associated with abstention and at-risk drinking across the four countries. Conclusions: A strong regularity in the distribution of alcohol consumption was observed in the samples of older adults. Gender was the only common factor associated with drinking behaviour across the four countries.

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“…6 Alcohol use among older adults has unique risks because of age-associated physiological changes that increase blood alcohol levels quicker for a given amount of alcohol, increased brain sensitivity to alcohol that may impair balance, coordination, and judgment, and increased risks for a range of adverse effects with increased comorbidity and use of medications. 7,8 Alcohol also has differing impacts on men and women due to physiological differences that increase blood alcohol levels and the effect of alcohol among women compared to men, [9][10][11] including increased risks for certain diseases such as breast cancer and cirrhosis, 12,13 and differential public health outcomes including relapse and violence. 14 For example, predictors of relapse appear to differ between men and women, with women being more likely to relapse in response to interpersonal conflict and negative affect whereas men are more likely to relapse in response to isolation and both positive and negative affect.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in binge drinking prevalence among older U.S. men and women, 2015 to 2019

Al‐Rousan

Moore

Han

et al. 2021

J American Geriatrics Society

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Background: Recent literature suggests that the gap in prevalence of binge drinking between men and women is closing, but little is known about sex-specific differences in trends and correlates of binge drinking among older Americans.Methods: A total of 18,794 adults, aged 65 years and older were surveyed in the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. We estimated trends in prevalence of past-month binge drinking (≥5 drinks on the same occasion for men and ≥4 drinks for women), stratified by sex. Correlates of binge drinking were estimated for men and women separately, focusing on demographic characteristics, chronic diseases, past-month tobacco and cannabis use, depression, and emergency department use. Multivariable generalized linear models using Poisson and log link were used to examine associations stratified by sex.Results: Binge drinking among older men increased from 12.8% in 2015 to 15.7% in 2019 (p = 0.02) but remained stable among older women (7.6% to 7.3%, p = 0.97). In adjusted models, having a college degree was associated with higher risk of binge drinking among women (adjusted prevalence ratio[aPR] = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.13-2.50), but lower risk among men (aPR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56-0.85). Men who are separated or divorced were also at higher risk (aPR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.05-1.50), but women were not. Both men and women reporting past-month use of tobacco (men aPR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.61-2.17, women aPR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.71-2.60) and cannabis (men aPR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.63-2.58, women aPR = 2.77, 95% CI 2.00-3.85) were at higher risk of binge drinking.Conclusions: Binge drinking has increased among older men whereas it has remained stable among older women in the United States. Interventions should consider that although tobacco and cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of binge drinking among both older men and women, demographic correlates tend to differ by sex.

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Future Directions for Aging and Alcohol

Cited by 7 publications

References 63 publications

The changing alcohol drinking patterns among older adults show that women are closing the gender gap in more frequent drinking: the Tromsø study, 1994–2016

The changing alcohol drinking patterns among older adults show that women are closing the gender gap in more frequent drinking: the Tromsø study, 1994–2016

Alcohol use among older adults: A comparative study across four European countries

Trends in binge drinking prevalence among older U.S. men and women, 2015 to 2019

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