The role of medication use and health on the decision to quit drinking among older adults.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the extent to which changes in medication use and health influence the decision to quit drinking among older adults.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 8,883 elderly enrolled in Pennsylvania's Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly (PA-PACE) program who completed surveys in 2000 and 2002. Survey data were linked with prescription claims to examine medication and health factors associated with drinking cessation between baseline and follow-up.


RESULTS
Overall, 3.9% of those using alcohol at baseline quit drinking during the study period. Logistic regression results showed that individuals who initiated antipsychotic (OR = 2.92) and antineoplastic therapies (OR = 2.67) were the most likely to quit drinking.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings support the hypothesis that elderly quit drinking in response to ill health. Results have implications for alcohol interventions in older adults and underscore the importance of separating former drinkers from lifetime abstainers in the study of alcohol-health relationships.
Pringle
Kristine E
KE
First Health Services Corporation/PA-PACE, 4000 Crums Mill Road, Suite 301, Harrisburg, PA 17112, USA. pringlkr@fhsc.com
Heller
Debra A
DA
Ahern
Frank M
FM
Gold
Carol H
CH
Brown
Theresa V
TV
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004358:Drug Therapy; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014481:United States