Alexis Kuerbis1, Hayley Treloar Padovano2, Sijing Shao3, Jessica Houser4, Frederick J Muench5, Jon Morgenstern6. 1. Silberman School of Social Work, Hunter College at City University of New York, 2180 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10035, United States. Electronic address: ak1465@hunter.cuny.edu. 2. Brown University, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, BOX G-S121-4, Providence, RI 02912, United States. Electronic address: hayley_treloar@brown.edu. 3. Northwell Health, 1010 Northern Blvd. Suite 311, Great Neck, NY, 11021, United States. Electronic address: sshao2@northwell.edu. 4. Northwell Health, 1010 Northern Blvd. Suite 311, Great Neck, NY, 11021, United States. Electronic address: dr@jessicahouser.com. 5. Partnership for Drug Free America/Kids, 352 Park Avenue South, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10010, United States. Electronic address: fmuench@gmail.com. 6. Northwell Health, 1010 Northern Blvd. Suite 311, Great Neck, NY, 11021, United States. Electronic address: jmorgenste@northwell.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: By 2030, numbers and proportions of older adults with substance-use problems are expected to increase. While risk factors for problem drinking in late life have been identified, it remains unknown whether these factors drive daily drinking among older problem drinkers. This study examined the daily drivers of drinking among problem drinkers, moderated by age, utilizing ecological momentary assessment (EMA). METHOD: Participants (N = 139), ages 20-73, received daily EMA online surveys completed via a smartphone prior to initiation of treatment. Multilevel modeling tested the moderating impact of age on within- and between-person relationships between drinking and focal predictors (mood, loneliness, boredom, stress, poor sleep, social factors, alcohol salience, commitment and confidence not to drink heavily). RESULTS: Older adults reported greater alcohol consumption when daily boredom levels were higher. Heavier drinking among younger adults was associated with poorer sleep quality. Greater daily confidence, daily commitment and daily alcohol salience did not impact drinking to the same extent for older adults as for younger adults. Greater person-level commitment predicted reduced drinking equivalently across age, but low person-level commitment predicted greater drinking among older adults compared to their younger counterparts. CONCLUSION: Older adults may have unique daily drivers of drinking that are not fully realized in current research and intervention efforts. Addressing the growing substance-use treatment needs among this population will require identifying the unique drivers of drinking among older adults, such as boredom, when compared to younger adults.
BACKGROUND: By 2030, numbers and proportions of older adults with substance-use problems are expected to increase. While risk factors for problem drinking in late life have been identified, it remains unknown whether these factors drive daily drinking among older problem drinkers. This study examined the daily drivers of drinking among problem drinkers, moderated by age, utilizing ecological momentary assessment (EMA). METHOD:Participants (N = 139), ages 20-73, received daily EMA online surveys completed via a smartphone prior to initiation of treatment. Multilevel modeling tested the moderating impact of age on within- and between-person relationships between drinking and focal predictors (mood, loneliness, boredom, stress, poor sleep, social factors, alcohol salience, commitment and confidence not to drink heavily). RESULTS: Older adults reported greater alcohol consumption when daily boredom levels were higher. Heavier drinking among younger adults was associated with poorer sleep quality. Greater daily confidence, daily commitment and daily alcohol salience did not impact drinking to the same extent for older adults as for younger adults. Greater person-level commitment predicted reduced drinking equivalently across age, but low person-level commitment predicted greater drinking among older adults compared to their younger counterparts. CONCLUSION: Older adults may have unique daily drivers of drinking that are not fully realized in current research and intervention efforts. Addressing the growing substance-use treatment needs among this population will require identifying the unique drivers of drinking among older adults, such as boredom, when compared to younger adults.
Authors: Jenna Borok; Peter Galier; Matteo Dinolfo; Sandra Welgreen; Marc Hoffing; James W Davis; Karina D Ramirez; Diana H Liao; Lingqi Tang; Mitch Karno; Paul Sacco; James C Lin; Alison A Moore Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2013-07-26 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: Paul Sacco; Karen Burruss; Cristan A Smith; Alexis Kuerbis; Donna Harrington; Alison A Moore; Barbara Resnick Journal: Aging Ment Health Date: 2014-07-10 Impact factor: 3.658
Authors: Wossenseged Birhane Jemberie; Jennifer Stewart Williams; Malin Eriksson; Ann-Sofie Grönlund; Nawi Ng; Marcus Blom Nilsson; Mojgan Padyab; Kelsey Caroline Priest; Mikael Sandlund; Fredrik Snellman; Dennis McCarty; Lena M Lundgren Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2020-07-21 Impact factor: 4.157