Elderly alcoholics in outpatient treatment

In Denmark, the treatment of alcoholics is provided by public outpatient alcohol clinics. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether elderly patients differ from younger patients with regards to sociodemographic data, drinking pattern and psychiatric comorbidity which may affect the organization of the treatment.

The study covered 2,530 patients, who started psychosocial treatment at alcohol treatment outpatient clinics. Prior to the treatment, a therapist interviewed the patients using the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). ASI offers a multidimensional picture of the patients' problems within the month leading up to the interview. Seven problem areas in the patients' life are described: 1) Medicine, 2) Employment, 3) Alcohol 4) Drugs, 5) Legal status, 6) Family and social circumstances and 7) Psychiatric health.

Among the 2,530 patients, 220 (8.7%) were elderly (≥ 60 years). The ASI scores showed that the elderly patients has significantly fewer problems than the younger patients in the following areas: employment, drugs, family/social circumstances and psychiatric health.

Elderly alcoholics in the public alcohol outpatient clinics differ from younger patients on a range of variables. Such differences may affect the organization of the treatment, which may not need to be as intensive as previously assumed.