Citation

Colsher PL, Wallace RB. J. Stud. Alcohol 1990; 51(6): 528-535.

Affiliation

Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1990, Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

2270061

Abstract

Recognition that the physical, psychological and social consequences of substance abuse may persist throughout the life span has led to increased study of the impact of lifetime drinking habits on the elderly. We examined the characteristics of elderly men with self-reported histories of having ever been heavy drinker (H+) in a population-based (N = 1,155, mean age = 73.7 years) longitudinal survey of community-dwelling elders; 10.4% of the men reported that they had been heavy drinkers at some time during their lives. H+ men were younger and less educated than non-heavy drinkers (H-) or never drinkers (N). Mortality was higher among H+ men who were current drinkers than among H- or N men. H+ men reported more major illnesses, poorer self-perceived health status, more physician visits, more depressive symptoms, lower levels of life satisfaction and smaller social networks than did H- or N men. Self-reported ability to perform activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living was poorest among H+ men, who also scored the lowest on a mental status examination. Thus, a history of having ever been a heavy drinker is predictive of widespread impairments in physical, psychological and social health and functioning among elderly men.

Language: en