Increasing and decreasing alcohol use trajectories among older women in the U.S. across a 10-year interval.

TitleIncreasing and decreasing alcohol use trajectories among older women in the U.S. across a 10-year interval.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2011
AuthorsBobo, JKay, Greek, AA
JournalInt J Environ Res Public Health
Volume8
Issue8
Pagination3263-76
Date Published2011 Aug
ISSN Number1660-4601
KeywordsAged, Alcohol Drinking, Alcoholic Intoxication, Alcoholism, Cohort Studies, depression, Ethanol, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Middle Aged, Retirement, Risk Factors, Smoking, Surveys and Questionnaires, United States
Abstract

Older women who routinely drink alcohol may experience health benefits, but they are also at risk for adverse effects. Despite the importance of their drinking patterns, few studies have analyzed longitudinal data on changes in drinking among community-based samples of women ages 50 and older. Reported here are findings from a semi-parametric group-based model that used data from 4,439 randomly sampled U.S. women who enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and completed ≥ 3 biannual alcohol assessments during 1998-2008. The best-fitting model based on the drinks per day data had four trajectories labeled as "Increasing Drinkers" (5.3% of sample), "Decreasing Drinkers" (5.9%), "Stable Drinkers" (24.2%), and "Non/Infrequent Drinkers" (64.6%). Using group assignments generated by the trajectory model, one adjusted logistic regression analysis contrasted the groups with low alcohol intake in 1998 (Increasing Drinkers and Non/Infrequent Drinkers). In this model, baseline education, physical activity, cigarette smoking, and binge drinking were significant factors. Another analysis compared the groups with higher intake in 1998 (Decreasing Drinkers versus Stable Drinkers). In this comparison, baseline depression, cigarette smoking, binge drinking, and retirement status were significant. Findings underscore the need to periodically counsel all older women on the risks and benefits of alcohol use.

Notes

Bobo, Janet Kay Greek, April A AA016534/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS/United States R24 HD042828-10/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Switzerland International journal of environmental research and public health Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2011 Aug;8(8):3263-76. Epub 2011 Aug 5.

DOI10.3390/ijerph8083263
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21909305?dopt=Abstract

Endnote Keywords

alcohol use/WOMEN/depression/Smoking

Endnote ID

62702

Alternate JournalInt J Environ Res Public Health
Citation Key7633
PubMed ID21909305
PubMed Central IDPMC3166741
Grant ListR21 AA016534 / AA / NIAAA NIH HHS / United States
R24 HD042828 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
R24 HD042828-10 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
AA016534 / AA / NIAAA NIH HHS / United States