Annotated Bibliography: Alcohol and the Elderly
Blow, F.C., Walton, M.A., Barry, K.L., Coyne, J.C., Mudd, S.A.,
& Copeland, L.A. (2000). The relationship between
alcohol problems and health functioning of older adults in
primary care settings. Journal of the American
The purpose of this study by Blow, et al (2000) was to employ a sample of older adults screened in primary health care settings and to assess the relationship between alcohol use and health functioning. Using a review of literature, the authors conducted a cross-sectional study located in 37 primary care clinics. Results indicated that of the 8,578 adults aged 55 to 97, 61 percent were abstainers, 31 percent were low-risk drinkers, and only 7 percent were at-risk drinkers.
Those who were at-risk drinkers had significantly poorer mental health functioning than the low-risk drinkers. The authors recommended that physicians must do more than screen for physical health functioning to assess the relationship between drinking alcohol and its effects on older adults.
These conclusions support my view that it may be difficult among older adults with multiple physical problems to immediately detect alcohol problems. The authors did not indicate any significant variations within the age group, suggesting that it is important to study such variations.
Do you agree or disagree with the author's conclusions? Why?
I agree with the authors' conclusions first, because their research design appears to have been logical and their study proceeded from a fairly comprehensive review of relevant literature. Second, the point was made that older adults who are at risk drinkers may not present with poor physical health functioning. This suggests that caregivers should explore alcohol use patterns with older patients and clients.
What other conclusions are possible to draw from the same information?
It is possible that older individuals classif...