As millions of baby boomers enter retirement age, it is important to understand their needs for healthcare. Alcohol consumption is one area that requires attention. Understanding the factors that impact drinking in older adults helps aid in alcohol abuse prevention and education efforts.

A recent study looked at the alcohol-consumption trajectories and associated characteristics that impact adults over the age of 50. Alyssa Platt, Frank A. Sloan and Philip Costanzo examined the factors that must be studied in older adults to understand their drinking trajectories.

The objective of the study was to look at the changes in drinking choices of older adults over the age of 50. It also determined to examine baseline personal characteristics and subsequent life events that were associated with different alcohol-consumption trajectories during a follow-up period lasting 14 years.

The researchers gathered data from the Health and Retirement Study, which included participants aged from 51 to 61 years in 1992. It only included the individuals who had survived the sample period of 1992 to 2006. Each had a minimum of five interviews about alcohol consumption. There was a total of 6,787 participants, and of those participants, 3,760 were women.

The researchers used linear regression to develop drinking trajectories over 1992 to 2006. The results were used to group the participants into one of five drinking categories. The researchers then analyzed the relationship between personal demographic, income, health and attitudinal characteristics in addition to life events and drinking-trajectory category.

The results of the study showed that overall alcohol consumption declined among adults over 50. The rate of decline, however, was different among the participants, and for a few participants alcohol consumption actually increased.

The participants who showed an increased consumption of alcohol were more likely to be affluent, highly educated, male, White, unmarried, less religious and in good health. Also, participants who were shown to have had a history of problem drinking were found to show an increase in alcohol consumption.

The findings of the study suggest that there are multiple factors impacting drinking choices at the individual level in mid-to late life. A problem with alcohol abuse in the past is predictive of patterns in later life.

The information provided in this study show that there are many factors and circumstances impacting alcohol choices made by older adults. It is critical that those coordinating prevention and education understand the multiple aspects of alcohol choices among older adults.