The prospective relationship between binge drinking and physician visits among older adults.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives are to (a) determine if binge drinking is related to physician visits and (b) estimate the degree to which the relationship between binge drinking and physician visits can be explained by other health characteristics.


METHODS
Data on a sample of 4,960 older adults (70+ years of age in 2002) from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) were used. Three linear regression models estimated the impact of binge drinking on physician visits.


RESULTS
In the fully adjusted models, binge drinking did have an effect on the number of physician visits by older adults, with more frequent binge drinkers having fewer physician visits. This negative relationship exists even when demographic as well as other current health characteristics are controlled.


CONCLUSIONS
The implications of these results are discussed in terms of more broadly communicating the risks associated with binge drinking and more effectively targeting interventions to older binge drinkers.
Jenkins
Kristi Rahrig
KR
University of Michigan Addiction Research Center, Ann Arbor 48104, USA. kristirj@umich.edu
Zucker
Robert A
RA
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report