Journal article
Elderly men with histories of heavy drinking: correlates and consequences
Journal of studies on alcohol, Vol.51(6), pp.528-535
11/1990
DOI: 10.15288/jsa.1990.51.528
PMID: 2270061
Abstract
Recognition that the physical, psychological and social consequences of substance abuse may persist throughout the life span has led to increased study of the impact of lifetime drinking habits on the elderly. We examined the characteristics of elderly men with self-reported histories of having ever been heavy drinker (H+) in a population-based (N = 1,155, mean age = 73.7 years) longitudinal survey of community-dwelling elders; 10.4% of the men reported that they had been heavy drinkers at some time during their lives. H+ men were younger and less educated than non-heavy drinkers (H-) or never drinkers (N). Mortality was higher among H+ men who were current drinkers than among H- or N men. H+ men reported more major illnesses, poorer self-perceived health status, more physician visits, more depressive symptoms, lower levels of life satisfaction and smaller social networks than did H- or N men. Self-reported ability to perform activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living was poorest among H+ men, who also scored the lowest on a mental status examination. Thus, a history of having ever been a heavy drinker is predictive of widespread impairments in physical, psychological and social health and functioning among elderly men.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Elderly men with histories of heavy drinking: correlates and consequences
- Creators
- P L Colsher - University of IowaR B Wallace
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of studies on alcohol, Vol.51(6), pp.528-535
- DOI
- 10.15288/jsa.1990.51.528
- PMID
- 2270061
- NLM abbreviation
- J Stud Alcohol
- ISSN
- 0096-882X
- eISSN
- 1934-2683
- Grant note
- N01-AG-0-2106 / NIA NIH HHS AG-07094 / NIA NIH HHS
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/1990
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology; Injury Prevention Research Center; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984364438502771
Metrics
8 Record Views