title: Estimating older hazardous and binge drinking prevalence using AUDIT-C and AUDIT-3 thresholds specific to older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to provide hazardous and binge drinking prevalence, odds and risk attributable to specific demographic correlates in community dwelling older adults using both the standard and new older-specific AUDIT-C thresholds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hazardous drinking was assessed using the AUDIT-C in a cross-sectional postal survey of 6662 New Zealanders aged 55-70 years old (m=60.94, SD=4.70) randomly selected from the New Zealand Electoral Roll. Prevalence data is presented for whole sample and stratified by key demographic correlates using standard and older-specific threshold scores on the AUDIT-C. Hazardous drinking prevalence using the standard AUDIT-C threshold was 56.01%, as compared to 42.28% and 50.20% under two older-specific thresholds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Being younger, male, and wealthy were consistent drinking predictors across thresholds but the older-specific thresholds substantially altered the prevalence and risk for females, Asians, and poorer people. Past-month binge prevalence of 18.18% was considerably lower than the past-year prevalence of 33.51%, but change from past-month to past-year binge threshold had no significant effect on the demographic composition of binge drinkers. The standard AUDIT-C threshold over-estimates hazardous drinking prevalence in older adults by up to 33%, but even the most conservative rates in this study are cause for concern regarding the level of drinking by older people in New Zealand.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older hazardous drinkers are predominantly younger, wealthier, white, partnered males, whichever threshold is used, but binge drinkers are more likely to be rural, Māori, and lack tertiary education. Further efforts are needed to determine factors underpinning hazardous drinking, especially in older Māori.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. A.J.Towers@massey.ac.nz
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Towers
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dulin
authors.forename: Marylynne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kostick
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Noone
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alpass
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003710:Demography; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol