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Alcohol consumption by elderly Americans
Rosalind A Breslow1, Vivian B Faden, Barbara Smothers
1Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Willco Building, Suite 514, 6000 Executive Boulevard, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. rbreslow@mail.nih.gov
Journal of Studies on Alcohol
|January 28, 2004
Summary
Approximately one-third of U.S. adults aged 65 and older consumed alcohol between 2000-2001. While moderate drinking remained stable in older men, it declined in older women, with heavier drinking decreasing in older men.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The U.S. population aged 65 and older is expanding, making understanding their health behaviors critical.
- Alcohol consumption patterns and their associated risks and benefits in the elderly warrant investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the prevalence of alcohol consumption among Americans aged 65 years and older.
- To analyze age-related trends in alcohol consumption within this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from three nationally representative cross-sectional surveys: NHIS (2000), BRFSS (2001), and NHSDA (2000).
- Defined alcohol consumption as none, moderate (≤1 drink/day), and heavier (>1 drink/day).
- Employed logistic regression to analyze age trends and multinomial logistic regression for survey comparisons, with weighted analyses for national estimates.
Main Results:
- In 2000-2001, approximately one-third of U.S. adults aged 65+ consumed alcohol (around 11 million individuals).
- Prevalence of moderate drinking was ~38% in men and ~32% in women (NHIS); heavier drinking was ~10% in men and ~2% in women.
- Older men showed stable moderate drinking and decreasing heavier drinking with age; older women showed decreasing moderate drinking and stable heavier drinking.
Conclusions:
- Alcohol consumption is prevalent in the U.S. elderly population, representing a significant public health consideration.
- The differing trends in alcohol consumption by gender in older adults highlight the need for tailored public health strategies.
- As the elderly population grows, the implications of alcohol use for this demographic will become increasingly important.