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

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 526-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingeborg Rossow ◽  
Bente Træen
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Common Factor ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Drinking Behaviour ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
Cross Sectional

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.

The Role of Psychological Distress in the Relationship between Drinking Motives and Hazardous Drinking in Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-41
Author(s):  
Yannic van Gils ◽  
Erik Franck ◽  
Eva Dierckx ◽  
Sebastiaan P.J. van Alphen ◽  
Geert Dom
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Hazardous Drinking ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Drinking Motives ◽  
Drinking Behaviour ◽  
Hazardous Alcohol Use ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Hazardous Alcohol

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Drinking motives seem to be the most proximal predictors of alcohol outcomes. Consequently, these are an essential factor to consider as they may influence the extent to which alcohol is used in a risky way, even in older adults. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> We studied the moderating effect of distress on the relationship between drinking motives and drinking behaviour in a community-dwelling older adult sample. <b><i>Method:</i></b> In a retrospective cross-sectional research study, participants were community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older. All respondents completed a questionnaire covering the Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and the General Severity Index (GSI) of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). <b><i>Results:</i></b> In this sample of 1,148 older adults, drinking motives and hazardous alcohol use were associated (enhancement motives <i>r</i> = 0.478, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001; coping motives <i>r</i> = 0.367, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001; and social motives <i>r</i> = 0.235, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). Furthermore, moderation analysis showed that older adults drinking predominantly for enhancement or coping motives (respectively, β = 0.433, CI [95%] = 2.557–3.222 and β = 0.327, CI [95%] = 1.077–1.491, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), and older adults who had higher levels of psychological distress (β = 2.518, CI [95%] = 2.017–3.019, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) were more likely to report higher degree of hazardous alcohol use. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The relations between coping drinking motives and enhancement drinking motives on hazardous drinking depended on the level of distress. The associations between drinking for coping and drinking for enhancement were stronger in high levels of distress. Although causality cannot be interpreted from cross-sectional data, tackling psychological distress and drinking to cope with negative affect or to enhance positive affect might have strong effects on reducing hazardous drinking behaviour among older adults.

scholarly journals Socioeconomic and Environmental Factors Associated With Increased Alcohol Purchase and Consumption in 38 Countries During the Covid-19 Pandemic

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zaheer Kyaw Hla ◽  
Rodrigo Ramalho ◽  
Lauranna Teunissen ◽  
Isabelle Cuykx ◽  
Paulien Decorte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Income Loss ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Working From Home

AimsTo explore changes in alcohol purchase and consumption during the first few months of the Covid-19 pandemic, and assess associations between increased alcohol purchase/use and socioeconomic and environmental factors.DesignSecondary data from a cross-sectional online survey conducted from 17 April to 25 June 2020.SettingThirty-eight countries from all continents of the world.ParticipantsA total of 37,206 adults (mean age:36.7, SD:14.8, 77% female) reporting alcohol purchasing and drinking habit before and during the pandemic.MeasurementsChanges in alcohol stock-up and frequency of alcohol use during the pandemic and increased alcohol stock-up and use were stratified by gender, age, education, household structure, working status, income loss, psychological distress, and country based on alcohol consumption per capita. The associations between increased alcohol stock-up/use and living with children, working from home, income loss and distress were examined using multivariate logistic regression, controlling for demographic factors.FindingsThe majority of respondents reported no change in their alcohol purchasing and drinking habits during the early pandemic period. Increased drinking was reported by 20.2% of respondents, while 17.6% reported decreased alcohol use. More than half (53.3%) of respondents experienced psychological distress, with one in five (20.7%) having severe distress. Female gender, being aged under 50, higher educational attainment, living with children, working from home, and psychological distress were all independently associated with increased alcohol drinking during lockdown. Limitations of the study were the non-representative sample, the data collection early in the pandemic, and the non-standard measurement of alcohol consumption.ConclusionIncreased psychological distress among people during the early pandemic period, resulted in increased alcohol consumption, especially among women with children working from home during lockdown.

Evaluación Cognitiva Montreal y consumo de alcohol: Un diagnóstico descriptivo del deterioro cognitivo en estudiantes universitarios de Durango, México

2019 ◽  
pp. 28-38
Author(s):  
Karla Liliana Pérez-Sosa ◽  
Edgar Felipe Lares-Bayona
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Toxic Substance ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Probabilistic Study ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Relationship

Alcohol is a toxic substance associated with acute and chronic disorders affecting the Central Nervous System and significantly altering brain function. Objective: To determine the relationship between cognitive impairment and alcohol consumption in university students of the Juárez University of the State of Durango. Methodology: It is a cross-sectional, descriptive, comparative, non-probabilistic study, for convenience. A database was designed on the results obtained in a clinical interview on alcohol consumption and the application of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. Contribution: The evaluation of cognitive functions show similar results, the male sex presented a better score in Attention and the female one in Orientation. More involvement was identified in the Deferred Memory functions in both groups. In relation to alcohol consumption, the cognitive functions evaluated show lower levels. The female gender was more evident cognitive impairment in relation to alcohol consumption being statistically significant (p <0.025). Alcohol consumption is a risky behavior that deserves to be recognized by the main actors about neurocognitive effects. Alcohol consumption prevention programs and cognitive diagnostic tools are appropriate strategies to reduce risk behaviors in mental health.

scholarly journals Comparison of adaptive versions of the Hong Kong-specific criteria and 2015 Beers criteria for assessing potentially inappropriate medication use in Hong Kong older patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huanyu ZHANG ◽  
Eliza L. Y. WONG ◽  
Samuel Y. S. WONG ◽  
Patsy Y. K. CHAU ◽  
Benjamin H. K. YIP ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Inappropriate Medication ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Potentially Inappropriate Medication ◽  
Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Beers Criteria ◽  
Medical Conditions ◽  
Cross Sectional

Abstract Background The Hong Kong-specific criteria have been established in 2019 to assess potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use in older adults and improve the local prescribing quality. The aim of this study was to compare the adaptive versions of the Hong Kong-specific criteria and 2015 Beers criteria for assessing the prevalence and correlates of PIM use in Hong Kong older patients. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014 using the Hospital Authority (HA) database. A total of 489,301 older patients aged 65 years and older visiting general outpatient clinics (GOPCs) during the study period were included in the study. Two categories of PIM use included in the Hong Kong-specific criteria and 2015 Beers criteria, i.e. PIMs independent of diagnoses and PIMs considering specific medical conditions, were adapted to assess the prevalence of PIM use among the study sample. Characteristics of PIM users and the most frequently prescribed PIMs were investigated for each set of the criteria. Factors associated with PIM use were identified using the stepwise multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results The adaptive Hong Kong-specific criteria could detect a higher prevalence of patients exposed to at least one PIM than that assessed by the adaptive Beers criteria (49.5% vs 47.5%). Meanwhile, the adaptive Hong Kong-specific criteria could identify a higher rate of patients exposed to PIMs independent of diagnoses (48.1% vs 46.8%) and PIMs considering specific medical conditions (7.3% vs 4.9%) compared with that of the adaptive Beers criteria. The most frequently prescribed PIMs detected by the adaptive Beers criteria were all included in the adaptive Hong Kong-specific criteria. The strongest factor associated with PIM use was number of different medications prescribed. Patients with female gender, aged 65 ~ 74 years, a larger number of GOPC visits, and more than six diagnoses were associated with greater risk of PIM use, whereas advancing age was associated with lower risk of PIM use. Conclusions The adaptive Hong Kong-specific criteria could detect a higher prevalence of PIM use than the adaptive Beers criteria in older adults visiting GOPCs in Hong Kong. It is necessary to update the prevalence and correlates of PIM use regularly in older adults to monitor the burden of PIM use and identify vulnerable patients who need further interventions.

scholarly journals Alcohol Use Disorder among Patients Suffered from Road Collisions in a Vietnamese Delta Province

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (13) ◽  
pp. 2423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hai Minh Vu ◽  
Tung Thanh Tran ◽  
Giang Thu Vu ◽  
Cuong Tat Nguyen ◽  
Chau Minh Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Drinking Behavior ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Problematic Drinking ◽  
Current Context ◽  
Educational Campaign ◽  
Causes Of Deaths ◽  
The Relationship

Traffic collisions have continuously been ranked amongst the top causes of deaths in Vietnam. In particular, drinking has been recognized as a major factor amplifying the likelihood of traffic collisions in various settings. This study aims to examine the relationship between alcohol use and traffic collisions in the current context of Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 413 traffic collisions patients in six health facilities in the Thai Binh Province to investigate the level of alcohol consumption and identify factors influencing alcohol use among these patients. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) scale was used to determine the problematic drinking behavior of the participants. The percentage of patients having problematic drinking was more than 30%. Being male, having a high household income, and working as farmer/worker were risk factors for alcohol abuse. People causing accidents and patients with a traumatic brain injury had a higher likelihood of drinking alcohol before the accidents. This study highlights the necessity of more stringent laws on reducing drink-driving in Vietnam. In addition, more interventions, especially those utilizing mass media like educational campaign of good behavior on social networks, are necessary to reduce alcohol consumption in targeted populations in order to decrease the prevalence and burden of road injuries.

scholarly journals Towards the characterization and validation of alcohol use disorder subtypes: integrating consumption and symptom data

2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. Jackson ◽  
K. K. Bucholz ◽  
P. K. Wood ◽  
D. Steinley ◽  
J. D. Grant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Alcohol Use Disorder ◽  
Model Comparison ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Common Factor ◽  
Hybrid Approaches ◽  
Epidemiologic Survey ◽  
Alcohol Involvement ◽  
Best Fitting

BackgroundThere is evidence that measures of alcohol consumption, dependence and abuse are valid indicators of qualitatively different subtypes of alcohol involvement yet also fall along a continuum. The present study attempts to resolve the extent to which variations in alcohol involvement reflect a difference in kindversusa difference in degree.MethodData were taken from the 2001–2002 National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions. The sample (51% male; 72% white/non-Hispanic) included respondents reporting past 12-month drinking at both waves (wave 1:n = 33644; wave 2:n = 25186). We compared factor mixture models (FMMs), a hybrid of common factor analysis (FA) and latent class analysis (LCA), against FA and LCA models using past 12-month alcohol use disorder (AUD) criteria and five indicators of alcohol consumption reflecting frequency and heaviness of drinking.ResultsModel comparison revealed that the best-fitting model at wave 1 was a one-factor four-class FMM, with classes primarily varying across dependence and consumption indices. The model was replicated using wave 2 data, and validated against AUD and dependence diagnoses. Class stability from waves 1 to 2 was moderate, with greatest agreement for the infrequent drinking class. Within-class associations in the underlying latent factor also revealed modest agreement over time.ConclusionsThere is evidence that alcohol involvement can be considered both categorical and continuous, with responses reduced to four patterns that quantitatively vary along a single dimension. Nosologists may consider hybrid approaches involving groups that vary in pattern of consumption and dependence symptomatology as well as variation of severity within group.

scholarly journals The Association between Dating Apps and Alcohol Consumption in an Italian Sample of Active Users, Former Users, and Non-Users

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 249
Author(s):  
Luca Flesia ◽  
Valentina Fietta ◽  
Carlo Foresta ◽  
Merylin Monaro
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Dating Apps ◽  
Regular Consumption ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Relationship

To date, the relationship between alcohol use and dating app use has been investigated mostly in conjunction with sexual activities and in homosexual men. For this reason, the aim of this study was to explore the association between dating app use and alcohol consumption among the general population. A cross-sectional study was conducted including app users, non-users, and former users: 1278 respondents completed an online ad hoc questionnaire assessing dating app use, motivations for installing dating apps, alcohol use, and demographics. Multiple logistic regression analysis was run to investigate the association between dating app use, demographic features, and alcohol consumption. Whereas educational level, age, and gender significantly contributed to the regular consumption of alcohol, dating app use did not account for a significant amount of variance between regular and not regular drinkers. However, people who installed and used dating apps with the motivation of searching for sexual partners were more likely to be regular drinkers. Among the active users, heavy app users were less likely to drink regularly. The study indicates that underlying factors (sexual aspects, motives for using the apps) and the intensity of using the apps may mediate the relationship between dating app use and alcohol use.

scholarly journals Alcohol Consumption by Older New York City Residents: The Need for New Policies to Address Misuse

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 448-454
Author(s):  
Daniel Weisz ◽  
Michael Kelley Gusmano
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
York City ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Local Public Health ◽  
New Public Health

Abstract Aims The aim of this study is to assess risk factors for alcohol misuse among older New York City residents and examine the effect of local public health efforts to address alcohol misuse. Methods The Community Health Survey, a cross-sectional telephone survey of 8500 randomly selected adult New Yorkers, records the frequency of alcohol use. We examine these results among 65 and older subjects by sociodemographic status using logistic regression modeling and compare trends in smoking and alcohol consumption between 2002 and 2016. Results Those with unhealthy drinking habits, combining binge drinking and excessive consumption, constituted 5.7% of 65 plus population and were more likely to be White, US born, healthy, better educated and wealthier. The percentage of older smokers in New York City has decreased while unhealthy drinking is nearly flat since 2002. Conclusions Our findings reinforce the importance of screening geriatric populations for alcohol use disorders and support the development of new public health efforts to address alcohol misuse if the city is to achieve results similar to those obtained in decreasing tobacco consumption.

scholarly journals Tobacco and alcohol use, sexual behavior and common mental disorders among military students at the Police Academy, São Paulo, Brazil. A cross-sectional study

2015 ◽  
Vol 133 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-244
Author(s):  
Arlene de Maria Perez ◽  
Isabela Martins Benseñor
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Police Academy ◽  
First Year ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The lifestyle of military personnel has been little studied in Brazil. This study evaluated the frequencies of tobacco and alcohol use, sexual behavior and mental health among military students.DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study at the Police Academy, in São Paulo.METHODS: Students answered a questionnaire about tobacco use, alcohol consumption, sexual behavior and common mental disorders (CMDs). To analyze associations among the frequencies of smoking and alcohol use, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and CMDs during the undergraduate years, we built a multinomial logistic regression model adjusted for age and sex.RESULTS: All 473 students were invited to participate and 430 (90.9%) agreed (10.5% were women). Most were white (76.6%), aged < 30 years, from the upper middle class (78.1%). The frequency of smoking was 6.5%, alcohol consumption 69.3%, STDs 14% and CMDs 15.6%. The use of condoms was low. Fourth-year students presented a lower odds ratio (OR) for STDs than the first-year students: 0.44 (95% confidence interval: 0.22-0.90). Third-year students presented a lower OR for CMDs than the first-year students.CONCLUSION: The frequencies of smoking and CMDs were low, while the frequency of alcohol consumption was similar to that of the Brazilian population. The use of condoms was low, in comparison with previous studies with similar samples. The results suggest that there was a certain degree of protection against CMDs and STDs during the undergraduate years.

scholarly journals Association between Nutritional Status Determined By Mini Nutritional Assessment and Serum Marker Levels in Older Adults at Eldercare Facilities

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angel G Hilerio Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Nutritional Assessment ◽  
Mini Nutritional Assessment ◽  
Serum Marker ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean

Malnutrition in the older adult is an ongoing situation in Mexico and is most apparent in individuals that reside in hospitals, nursing homes, and retirement homes. For that reason, it is necessary to evaluate the nutritional status of these adults by means of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and levels of three serum indicators that are commonly ordered when making malnutrition diagnosis. An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out on 100 older adults residing in eldercare facilities. Nutritional status was evaluated by means of the MNA and three serum indicators (albumin, ferritin, and hemoglobin). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze sociodemographic characteristics, and a Student’s t test, based on gender and reference values, was used to compare mean values of the three serum indicators.  A Chi-square test was used to compare proportions in individuals, based on gender, who had normal nutritional status or were malnourished, and who were at-risk of malnutrition.  A One-way ANOVA with Scheffé post hoc test was used to identify the association between serum indicators and nutritional status of older adults. Of the 100 older adults studied, 53% were men and 47% were women. The mean age was 85±0.7 years. According to the MNA, 20% had normal nutritional status, 55% were at-risk of malnutrition, and 25% were malnourished. The mean indicator values were: albumin 4.7±0.04 g/dL, ferritin 74.2±8.7 ng/mL, and hemoglobin 13.0±0.1 g/dL. No significant association was found between serum indicators and each MNA classification; however, when the same indicators were compared between the sexes, hemoglobin showed a significant difference (P=0.037). Women had lower values but those values did not extend beyond the established physiological range for this population. There was a 55% prevalence of risk of malnutrition in the nutritional status of older adults living in Mexican eldercare facilities in a Mexican province and it was even more frequent in women. 

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document