Elderly first time admitted alcoholics: a descriptive study on gender differences in a clinical population.

All patients > or = 60 years of age who were first-time admitted to the Department of Alcohol Diseases in Malmö during 1988-1992 were investigated, a total of 218 men and 64 women. Several clinical variables were assessed addressing gender differences. The sex ratio (female:male) in this elderly population was compared with the corresponding ratio of one decade previously (1978-1982). The main findings were that similarities were more common than dissimilarities, except age of onset problem drinking that occurred significantly later in the female patients (p < 0.05). Sex ratios indicated a significant convergence of female patients to that of males during 1988-1992, compared with one decade earlier (1:3.4 and 1:7.8, respectively; p < 0.01). The former ratio resembled the one found in the younger age groups. Conceivable explanations of the convergence are discussed herein.