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Outcome of alcoholism in old age
1Foxbrake House,Forston Clinic,Dorchester,Dorset,DT2 9TB,England.
Objective:
This retrospective study describes the follow-up of a birth cohort of alcohol dependent patients as they enter old age. The aim is to define the global outcome of survivors by combining a measure of current drinking behaviour with ratings for depression and dementia.
Methods:
A series of 100 referrals to a regional unit for alcohol misuse in Bristol, England, were followed up at a mean of 13 years after first referral for treatment. Survivors were traced when they were aged between 67 and 77 years. At follow-up interview, subjects were screened for current alcohol problems, depression and dementia.
Results:
The mortality rate in the cohort was raised significantly. Almost one third of survivors had depressive symptoms at follow-up and rates of global dementia were higher than expected in an aged-matched sample of the general population. However, the majority of survivors were classified as having an intermediate global outcome with less than 10% having a poor outcome.
Conclusions:
The high rates of mortality and psychiatric morbidity observed in this cohort illustrate the importance of detecting alcohol problems in the elderly. Further prospective studies are necessary to validate these findings in a community sample of older people.
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