title: Sociodemographic Characteristics and Health Status of Lifetime Abstainers, Ex-Drinkers, Bingers, and Nonbingers Among Baby Boomers and Older Adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health risks associated with abstention from alcohol drinking in previous studies may have been exaggerated because the pool of abstainers in many studies included both lifetime abstainers and ex-drinkers, including sick-quitters.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study compared sociodemographic and health statuses among lifetime abstainers, exdrinkers, bingers, and nonbingers in the 50-64 age group (baby boomers) and the 65+ age group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data are from the 2008 to 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (N = 18,443 for the 50-64 age group and N = 11,191 for the 65+ age group). Descriptive statistics and multinomial and binary logistic regression analyses were used to examine the study questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  10% of the 50-64 age group and 20% of the 65+ age group reported lifetime abstention, and 21% and 28% of each group, respectively, reported being ex-drinkers (i.e., last used alcohol more than 12 months ago). In both age groups, lifetime abstainers, exdrinkers, and bingers had lower socioeconomic status than nonbingers. In the 50-64 age group, lifetime abstainers did not differ from or were less likely than nonbingers to have vascular and hepatic/gastrointestinal (HGI) disorders, but exdrinkers were more likely to have these diseases, and both lifetime abstainers and exdrinkers were more likely to have diabetes. In the 65+ age group, lifetime abstainers did not differ from nonbingers on high blood pressure, heart disease, and HGI, but both they and the exdrinkers were more likely to have stroke and diabetes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diabetes screening/monitoring and stroke prevention/care are recommended for both age groups of abstainers and exdrinkers.
authors.affiliation: a School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA.
authors.forename: Namkee G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: a School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA.
authors.forename: Diana M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: DiNitto
authors.affiliation: a School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA.
authors.forename: C Nathan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.affiliation: b Department of Emergency Medicine , Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University , Providence , Rhode Island , USA.
authors.forename: Bryan Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D064829:Alcohol Abstinence; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Baby boomers; alcohol consumption; health status