title: Gender differences in the individual characteristics and life contexts of late-middle-aged and older problem drinkers.
abstract: This study focuses on gender differences in the individual characteristics and life contexts of late-life problem drinkers. Late-middle-aged women with drinking problems (n = 183) consumed less alcohol, had fewer drinking problems, and reported more recent onset of drinking problems than did their male counterparts (n = 476). They also used more psychoactive medications, were more depressed, and were less likely to seek alcohol treatment. Consistent with a gender role perspective on alcohol abuse, problem-drinking women had more family-related and fewer financial stressors than did problem-drinking men. Contrary to expectation, however, problem-drinking women reported more support from children, extended family members, and friends than did problem-drinking men. Moreover, women who continued to have drinking problems over a 1-year interval reported some unexpected short-term benefits at follow-up, including reduced spouse stressors. Women who had remitted at follow-up experienced less spouse support, and more family-related stressors and depression than did remitted men. They also lost support from extended family members over the 1-year interval. The results suggest a need for screening and treatment efforts tailored more closely to the life circumstances of women with late-life drinking problems.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Care Evaluation, Department of Veterans Affairs, Palo Alto, California.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Moos
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support