The relationship between alcohol problems and health functioning of older adults in primary care settings.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between alcohol use and health functioning in a sample of older adults screened in primary care settings.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Thirty-seven primary care clinics.


METHODS
Older adults (n = 8,578; aged 55-97) with regularly scheduled appointments in primary care clinics were screened.


METHODS
Participants were categorized based on alcohol consumption levels as abstainers, low-risk drinkers, and at-risk drinkers (women: 9 or more drinks/week; men: 12 or more drinks/week). Dependent variables were eight SF-36 health functioning scales.


RESULTS
Sixty-one percent of participants were abstainers, 31% were low-risk drinkers, and 7% were at-risk drinkers. ANCOVAs found significant effects of drinking status on General Health, Physical Functioning, Physical Role Functioning, Bodily Pain, Vitality, Mental Health, Emotional Role, and Social Functioning, controlling for age and gender, with low-risk drinkers scoring significantly better than abstainers. At-risk drinkers had significantly poorer mental health functioning than low-risk drinkers. Few significant gender differences were found on SF-36 scales.


CONCLUSIONS
Older adults who are at-risk drinkers may not present with poor physical health functioning. Future studies are needed to determine the relationship between drinking limits for older adults and other areas of physical and psychosocial health.
Blow
F C
FC
Department of Veterans Affairs Serious Mental Illness Treatment Research and Evaluation Center, Health Services Research and Development, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Walton
M A
MA
Barry
K L
KL
Coyne
J C
JC
Mudd
S A
SA
Copeland
L A
LA
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data