title: Elderly first time admitted alcoholics: a descriptive study on gender differences in a clinical population.
abstract: All patients > or = 60 years of age who were first-time admitted to the Department of Alcohol Diseases in Malmö during 1988-1992 were investigated, a total of 218 men and 64 women. Several clinical variables were assessed addressing gender differences. The sex ratio (female:male) in this elderly population was compared with the corresponding ratio of one decade previously (1978-1982). The main findings were that similarities were more common than dissimilarities, except age of onset problem drinking that occurred significantly later in the female patients (p < 0.05). Sex ratios indicated a significant convergence of female patients to that of males during 1988-1992, compared with one decade earlier (1:3.4 and 1:7.8, respectively; p < 0.01). The former ratio resembled the one found in the younger age groups. Conceivable explanations of the convergence are discussed herein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Alcohol Diseases, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osterling
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berglund
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012744:Sex Ratio; D012931:Social Environment; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology