The patients who may likely be using alcohol -- including drinking heavily -- and mixing it with over-the-counter and illicit drugs, may be those you least expect.
Older adults, those age 60 and older, are using alcohol and other substances at a growing rate, according to a press release from the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA). Healthcare workers should be aware of this emerging pattern and the potential lethal health risks that co-substance use poses, even for healthy older adults who consume more alcohol in certain social situations, the RSA release states.
The press release highlights study findings that were presented on June 22 at the RSA’s annual meeting in San Antonio. In that study, 751 California residents ages 60 to 99 answered survey questions as part of a three-year longitudinal study. Questions assessed respondents’ alcohol use the previous month, including whether their consumption was considered heavy, and the person’s use of other substances, including cannabis. Questions also assessed whether the reported alcohol use was situational (such as with family and friends) or contextual (such as at a bar or restaurant). Other questions were asked to gauge whether factors like demographics or mental and physical health status contributed to reported alcohol and drug use.
Nearly half of the participants -- 49.2% -- reported alcohol use, and 10% reported heavy drinking the prior month. Further, higher alcohol use was associated with cannabis/THC use, smoking, vaping nicotine, and using pain medication, stimulants, cocaine, and nonprescription drugs, said the study’s lead author, Mallie J. Paschall, a senior research scientist at the Prevention Research Center in Berkeley, CA.
Greater alcohol use was positively associated with situations conducive to drinking, like social gatherings with friends and family.
What’s triggering the growing use?
Paschall attributed the increased use to four factors:
- A continuation of heavy alcohol use among baby boomers who drank heavily during adolescence and early adulthood
- Legalization of recreational cannabis use and the co-consumption of THC with alcohol
- Prescription drug misuse to help manage chronic pain and other health issues that older adults have
- The co-use of prescription drugs with alcohol
“I was somewhat surprised to find that heavier alcohol use was so strongly associated with other licit and illicit drug use, given the age of this population,” said Paschall. “I was less surprised to find that older adults experiencing more severe bodily pain and mental health issues were more likely to report alcohol and cannabis/THC use as these substances may provide temporary relief from these physical and mental health ailments. Some older adults may also believe that cannabis products can have health benefits,” Paschal said in the release.
How your dental team can help
Paschall said the study raises important questions about steps that can be taken to prevent or reduce co-substance use among older adults.
Dentists and dental hygienists see patients biannually for preventive visits, uniquely positioning them to help safeguard patient health. They can review the medications patients are taking, inquire about alcohol use, and counsel patients about the dangers of mixing alcohol with medications or other drugs.
“I think both health care workers and family members should be aware that alcohol and other drug use are more prevalent among older adults than we might expect, and this could pose significant health risks. Even older adults who are healthy and more socially active are also at elevated risk for heavier alcohol use in contexts such as bars and restaurants.”
