title: Elderly versus younger problem drinker profiles: do they indicate a need for special programs for the elderly?
abstract: To address the question, "Do elderly problem drinkers differ from younger ones and therefore might they need special treatment programs?", the descriptive profiles of a representative sample of older and younger persons arrested for drinking and driving in Iowa were compared. Subjects were interviewed by telephone or mail using a structured, clinical interview schedule that was designed to obtain a comprehensive self-report picture of the role of alcohol in their lives. Younger persons (18-54 years old) were compared with two overlapping elderly age groups (55 and over and 65 and over). The elderly subjects were also dichotomized as "early onset" (at least one problem-drinking indicator occurred prior to age 55) and "late onset" (all problem drinking indicators occurred at age 55 or later). Although there were several statistically significant (p < or = .01) differences between the elderly and younger problem drinkers, there was a much, or more, heterogeneity within the elderly groups as there were differences between the elderly and their younger counterparts. Also, the descriptive profile of these at-large elderly problem drinkers differed, depending on whether their alcohol abuse was early- or late-onset.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Mulford
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000431:Ethanol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000639:trends*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008016:Life Change Events; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000639:trends*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol