Centre for Policy on Ageing
 

 

Could more than three million older people in England be at risk of alcohol-related harm?
 — a cross-sectional analysis of proposed age-specific drinking limits
Author(s)Craig S Knott, Shaun Scholes, Nicola J Shelton
Journal titleAge and Ageing, vol 42, no 5, September 2013
PublisherOxford University Press, September 2013
Pagespp 598-603
Sourcewww.ageing.oxfordjournals.org
KeywordsAlcoholism ; At risk ; Age groups [elderly] ; Social policy.
AnnotationThe objective of the present study was to determine the impact of recently proposed age-specific alcohol consumption limits on the proportion and number of older people classified at risk of alcohol-related harm. The study used nationally representative cross-sectional population data from the Health Survey for England (HSE). Participants were adults with valid alcohol consumption data, comprising 14,718 individuals from 2003 and 14,939 from 2008. The main outcome measure was the prevalence of alcohol consumption in excess of existing and recently proposed consumption limits, plus associated population estimates. Study findings showed that the number of individuals aged 65 or over and drinking in excess of daily recommended limits would have increased 2.5-fold to over 3 million in 2008 under age-specific recommendations proposed in a report from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, equating to an at-risk population 809,000 individuals greater than found within the 16-24 age group during the same year. Suggested revisions to existing binge drinking classifications would have defined almost 1,200,000 people aged 65 or over as hazardous consumers of alcohol in 2008 - a 3.6-fold increase over existing definitions. Age-specific drinking recommendations proposed in the Royal College of Psychiatrists Report would increase the number of older drinkers classified as hazardous alcohol consumers to a level greater than found among young adults aged 16-24. (JL).
Accession NumberCPA-130906207 A
ClassmarkETA: CA3: BB: TM2

Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing

...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.
 

CPA home >> Ageinfo Database >> Last modified: Fri 21 Sep 2018, © CPA 2018 Queries to: webmaster@cpa.org.uk