ELDERLY ALCOHOLISM: CONSUMPTION PATTERNS AND DEMOGRAPHIC
This paper proposes research aimed at determining the alcohol consumption levels of a sample of females ages 65 through 76. Further, the research will examine whether consumption levels are systematically associated with differences in females' marital status, age, educational level, or yearly income.
The rationale for the study is based on the fact that existing research indicates that the degree of alcoholism in elderly populations may be under-estimated due to older alcoholics tendencies to lie about the problem, the failure of assessment instruments to adequately detect older drinkers, and the tendency on the part of physicians not to refer this population to treatment. These facts highlight the need for repeated assessment of drinking patterns in older populations.
Demographic factors are selected for exploration because current research supports the notion that among older people, alcohol abuse and dependence tends to be related to their circumstances, e.g. living on a fixed income, married, etc.
Thus, it seems reasonable to explore these factors for their contribution to the levels of alcohol consumption found in sample subjects. The study is restricted to females because research indicates that elderly women tend to be more prone to lie about drinking and may, therefore, may comprise a substantial portion of the elderly population that lie about their drinking behavior.
Of the elderly alcoholic, Schuckit (1982) states that:
The older alcoholic rarely fits the stereotype of alcoholism, tends to report stable early life adjustment, presents with restricted areas of alcohol-related pathology, and is likely to drink only five to six days per week with an intake of four to five drinks/occasion. (p.396)
Zimering and Domeischel (1992) have pointed out that alcoholism is a problem that affects around six percent of the population. The authors further not...