DRINKING PATTERNS IN THE ELDERLY ROMANIAN POPULATION – PREVALENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS
Abstract:
Confronted with demographic ageing, the cross-sectional study was designed to estimate the
characteristics of alcohol use among older Romanians. Based on a sample of 107 people aged 65+, data
regarding alcohol use, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were collected. 52.4% of the
participants were current drinkers, 6.5% excessive drinkers, 14.95% binge drinkers and 13% had
alcohol-related problems. Current drinking was mostly reported by non-hospitalized males lacking close
social contacts, but with smoking history and exposed to alcohol use and stressful life events. Harmful
drinkers were mostly married males not living alone, exposed to alcohol use and having grown up
alongside an alcoholic. Alcohol-related problems were mostly found among depressed male drinkers
with family history of alcoholism. As alcohol use and misuse are encountered among aging Romanians
at rates comparable to other countries, more awareness needs to be drawn onto this matter.
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