Alcohol Use Patterns Among Older Women in the U.S.
Author Information
Author(s): Bobo Janet Kay, Greek April A.
Primary Institution: Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation, Battelle Memorial Institute
Hypothesis
What are the common drinking trajectories among older women in the U.S. over a 10-year period?
Conclusion
The study found that a significant percentage of older women either increased or decreased their alcohol consumption over a decade.
Supporting Evidence
- 5.3% of women were classified as Increasing Drinkers.
- 5.9% were classified as Decreasing Drinkers.
- 24.2% were Stable Drinkers.
- 64.6% were Non/Infrequent Drinkers.
- Average intake for Increasing Drinkers rose from 0.2 to 1.4 drinks per day over 10 years.
- Decreasing Drinkers' intake fell from 1.8 drinks per day to less than 0.1.
- Statistically significant differences in drinking behaviors were found across trajectory groups.
Takeaway
This study looked at how drinking habits change for older women over time, showing that some drink more while others drink less.
Methodology
The study used semi-parametric group-based models to analyze longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may introduce bias in the accuracy of alcohol consumption reporting.
Limitations
Some ethnic and racial minority groups were under-represented, and the accuracy of self-reported data could not be verified.
Participant Demographics
Women aged 50-65, with a diverse racial and educational background.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Confidence Interval
95%CI: 1.19–2.11
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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