Alcohol use and abuse in the elderly: Findings from the liverpool longitudinal study of continuing health in the community

Abstract

Problem drinking and patterns of alcohol consumption are examined as part of a follow‐up study of 1070 elderly subjects randomly selected from Liverpool general practitioner lists. Using a community version of the Geriatric Mental State Examination, the prevalence of current drinking problems was found to be 9.4/1000 subjects aged 65 and over. At follow‐up three years later, one‐third were drinking moderately and a similar proportion whose health had seriously deteriorated were abstinent. Detailed examination of drinking patterns reveals a decline with age in the number of subjects drinking regularly. This decline is accompanied by a trend towards reduction in alcohol consumption with age which is less marked for women. Nearly one‐fifth of both males and females who are drinking regularly are exceeding recommended sensible limits of alcohol consumption.