Line Tegner Stelander1,2, Anne Høye3,4, Jørgen G Bramness4,5, Geir Selbæk6,7, Linn-Heidi Lunde8,9, Rolf Wynn3,4, Ole Kristian Grønli3,4. 1. Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, University Hospital of North Norway, Postboks 6124, 9291, Tromsø, Norway. line.tegner.stelander@unn.no. 2. Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway. line.tegner.stelander@unn.no. 3. Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, University Hospital of North Norway, Postboks 6124, 9291, Tromsø, Norway. 4. Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway. 5. Department of Drug and Tobacco Research, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway. 6. Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway. 7. Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. 8. Department of Addiction Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. 9. Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: As the population of older adults continues to grow, changes in alcohol consumption are important to monitor because an increase may have public health consequences. Rates of alcohol use vary with geographical location. The aim of this study was to examine trends in alcohol consumption among older adults in a geographically defined area in Norway, especially changing sex differences in drinking patterns over a 22-year period. METHODS: Repeated cross-sectional survey (in 1994-95, 2007-08, and 2015-16) of a general population of older adults. Eligible for this study were 20,939 participants (aged 60-99 years). The data were analysed using generalized estimating equations, stratified by age and sex. Alcohol consumption and drinking patterns were assessed, using an adaptation of the AUDIT-C. RESULTS: Between 1994 and 2016, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of current drinkers among older adults. Furthermore, the probability of frequent drinking (alcohol consumption at least twice weekly) increased significantly between 1994 and 2016, particularly among older women; OR 8.02 (CI 5.97-10.79) and OR 5.87 (CI 4.00-8.63) in the age groups 60-69 and 70+ respectively for women, and OR 4.13 (CI 3.42-4.99) and OR 3.10 (CI 2.41-3.99), in the age groups 60-69 and 70+ respectively for men. The majority of older adults drank small amounts of alcohol on typical drinking days, but there was an increasing probability of drinking three drinks or more on each occasion over the study period, except among women aged 70+ years. CONCLUSIONS: Among older adults in Norway, alcohol consumption in terms of frequency and quantity on typical drinking days has increased considerably from 1996 to 2016. This change is in the opposite direction of what has been reported among younger adults. The gap between women and men in frequent drinking has been markedly narrowed, which indicate that women's drinking patterns are approaching those of men. This may involve a need to change alcohol policy in Norway to more targeted interventions aimed at older people.
BACKGROUND: As the population of older adults continues to grow, changes in alcohol consumption are important to monitor because an increase may have public health consequences. Rates of alcohol use vary with geographical location. The aim of this study was to examine trends in alcohol consumption among older adults in a geographically defined area in Norway, especially changing sex differences in drinking patterns over a 22-year period. METHODS: Repeated cross-sectional survey (in 1994-95, 2007-08, and 2015-16) of a general population of older adults. Eligible for this study were 20,939 participants (aged 60-99 years). The data were analysed using generalized estimating equations, stratified by age and sex. Alcohol consumption and drinking patterns were assessed, using an adaptation of the AUDIT-C. RESULTS: Between 1994 and 2016, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of current drinkers among older adults. Furthermore, the probability of frequent drinking (alcohol consumption at least twice weekly) increased significantly between 1994 and 2016, particularly among older women; OR 8.02 (CI 5.97-10.79) and OR 5.87 (CI 4.00-8.63) in the age groups 60-69 and 70+ respectively for women, and OR 4.13 (CI 3.42-4.99) and OR 3.10 (CI 2.41-3.99), in the age groups 60-69 and 70+ respectively for men. The majority of older adults drank small amounts of alcohol on typical drinking days, but there was an increasing probability of drinking three drinks or more on each occasion over the study period, except among women aged 70+ years. CONCLUSIONS: Among older adults in Norway, alcohol consumption in terms of frequency and quantity on typical drinking days has increased considerably from 1996 to 2016. This change is in the opposite direction of what has been reported among younger adults. The gap between women and men in frequent drinking has been markedly narrowed, which indicate that women's drinking patterns are approaching those of men. This may involve a need to change alcohol policy in Norway to more targeted interventions aimed at older people.
Entities:
Keywords:
Alcohol drinking patterns; Alcohol policy; Norway; Older adults; Public health; Sex differences; Tromsø study
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