OBJECTIVES: To compare 12-month outpatient healthcare expenditures of at-risk and not-at-risk drinkers aged 60 and older. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data from Project Senior Health and Alcohol Risk Education, a cluster, randomized trial to test the efficacy of an intervention to reduce at-risk drinking. SETTING:Seven primary care clinics in or near Santa Barbara, California. PARTICIPANTS: Current drinkers aged 60 and older who completed a baseline survey (N = 2,779) and did not receive the study intervention, including 628 at-risk drinkers and 2,151 not-at-risk drinkers. MEASUREMENTS: Comparisons of at-risk and not-at-risk drinkers for baseline demographic characteristics, health indicators, alcohol consumption, and adjusted and unadjusted outpatient healthcare expenditures incurred over 12 months after baseline. RESULTS: At-risk drinkers were younger, more often male, and more likely to be married and had higher education and incomes than not-at-risk drinkers. Unadjusted 12-month mean outpatient healthcare expenditures were $1,333 ± 2,973 for at-risk drinkers and $1,417 ± 2,952 for the not-at-risk drinkers. There were no statistically significant differences in expenditures between groups before and after controlling for sociodemographic and health characteristics. CONCLUSION: In this short-term study, no adjusted differences in healthcare expenditures were observed between at-risk and not-at-risk older drinkers. Future study is warranted to determine the role of at-risk drinking in long-term healthcare expenditures in older adults.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVES: To compare 12-month outpatient healthcare expenditures of at-risk and not-at-risk drinkers aged 60 and older. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data from Project Senior Health and Alcohol Risk Education, a cluster, randomized trial to test the efficacy of an intervention to reduce at-risk drinking. SETTING: Seven primary care clinics in or near Santa Barbara, California. PARTICIPANTS: Current drinkers aged 60 and older who completed a baseline survey (N = 2,779) and did not receive the study intervention, including 628 at-risk drinkers and 2,151 not-at-risk drinkers. MEASUREMENTS: Comparisons of at-risk and not-at-risk drinkers for baseline demographic characteristics, health indicators, alcohol consumption, and adjusted and unadjusted outpatient healthcare expenditures incurred over 12 months after baseline. RESULTS: At-risk drinkers were younger, more often male, and more likely to be married and had higher education and incomes than not-at-risk drinkers. Unadjusted 12-month mean outpatient healthcare expenditures were $1,333 ± 2,973 for at-risk drinkers and $1,417 ± 2,952 for the not-at-risk drinkers. There were no statistically significant differences in expenditures between groups before and after controlling for sociodemographic and health characteristics. CONCLUSION: In this short-term study, no adjusted differences in healthcare expenditures were observed between at-risk and not-at-risk older drinkers. Future study is warranted to determine the role of at-risk drinking in long-term healthcare expenditures in older adults.
Authors: Ellen E Bouchery; Henrick J Harwood; Jeffrey J Sacks; Carol J Simon; Robert D Brewer Journal: Am J Prev Med Date: 2011-11 Impact factor: 5.043
Authors: Michael F Fleming; Marlon P Mundt; Michael T French; Linda Baier Manwell; Ellyn A Stauffacher; Kristen Lawton Barry Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2002-01 Impact factor: 3.455
Authors: A A Moore; S C Morton; J C Beck; R D Hays; S M Oishi; J M Partridge; B J Genovese; A Fink Journal: Med Care Date: 1999-02 Impact factor: 2.983
Authors: Arlene Fink; Sally C Morton; John C Beck; Ron D Hays; Karen Spritzer; Sabine Oishi; Alison A Moore Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2002-10 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: Andy Towers; Ágnes Szabó; David A L Newcombe; Janie Sheridan; Allison A Moore; Martin Hyde; Annie Britton; Priscilla Martinez; Nadia Minicuci; Paul Kowal; Thomas Clausen; Christine L Savage Journal: J Aging Health Date: 2018-08-27