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.
Molgaard
C A
CA
Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University 92182.
Nakamura
C M
CM
Stanford
E P
EP
Peddecord
K M
KM
Morton
D J
DJ
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