Prevalence of alcohol consumption among older persons.
Percent prevalences of alcohol consumption were determined in a cross-sectional study of randomly chosen residents of San Diego County, California aged 45 years and over. The study sample (N = 2,105) showed statistically significant drinking differences between Whites (n = 819), Blacks (n = 629), and Mexican-Americans (n = 657). Overall, the highest prevalence of drinking occurred among the White elderly. The common belief that socioeconomic conditions are inversely associated with a high prevalence of drinking was not supported in this sample. Statistically significant differences in age-specific and sex-specific percent prevalences of alcohol intake were also found. There was a generally decreasing prevalence of alcohol consumption with advancing age, which existed regardless of ethnicity. Initial empirical measures and a better understanding of drinking correlates will identify those elderly persons at risk and provide the basis for future interventions in the areas of applied epidemiology and health promotion.
Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University 92182.
C A
CA
Molgaard
C M
CM
Nakamura
E P
EP
Stanford
K M
KM
Peddecord
D J
DJ
Morton
D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D002140:California; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People