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Older Women and Alcohol

Use and Abuse

  • Chapter
Book cover Recent Developments in Alcoholism

Part of the book series: Recent Developments in Alcoholism ((RDIA,volume 12))

Abstract

Although estimates of elderly problem drinkers and alcohol-related health problems among the elderly are approximate, there does appear to be a decline in the number of drinkers and the number of heavy drinkers. As with all age groups, there are fewer women who drink than men and fewer women problem drinkers. Moderate social drinking varies with health and income. Among older women, there may well be more problematic use of prescribed psychoactive drugs than alcohol.

In the few studies of older problem drinkers available, there are gender differences: Older men are more likely to be married, divorced, or separated, but older women problem drinkers show a high rate of widowhood; onset is more recent for older women than for older men; older women are more problematic users of prescribed psychoactive drugs; and the prevailing comorbidity among older women alcohol abusers is probably depressive disorder.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Alcohol Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48104

    Edith S. Lisansky Gomberg

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  1. Edith S. Lisansky Gomberg
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York

    Marc Galanter (Associate Editor) (Associate Editor)

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© 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Gomberg, E.S.L. (2002). Older Women and Alcohol. In: Galanter, M., et al. Recent Developments in Alcoholism. Recent Developments in Alcoholism, vol 12. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47138-8_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47138-8_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

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