 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Alec R. McKinney, MBA, Health Services Division, JSI Research and Training Institute, 44 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210, 617-482-9485, amckinney@jsi.com, Thomas Mangione, PhD, Survey Research Group, JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc, 44 Farnsworth St, Boston, MA 02210, and Sue Levkoff, ScD, SM, MSW, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, 400 Brookline Avenue, Suite 201, Boston, MA 02115.
Alcohol abuse and misuse is a major problem among older adults. It is estimated that 2.5 million older adults in the US have problems related to alcohol. The aging of the population has serous implications for both the numbers of alcohol-related problems likely to occur and the costs involved in responding to them. Despite this problem primary care providers often fail to identify, counsel, or treat those who may drink at risky levels. A research team recently completed a study that screened roughly 1,800 older adults in 5 primary care clinics. The purpose of this paper is to report findings regarding the prevalence of risky drinking among older adults, identify segments of this population that are particularly at risk, and report findings from a series of focus groups with primary care providers. The paper will discuss the prevalence of risky drinking but will focus on the implications of these findings on primary care screening and counseling procedures. Specifically, the paper will outline a group of provider's perspectives on the most appropriate approaches to identify and counsel those at risk. Study participants were asked to complete a survey that collected demographic information, alcohol consumption data, and responses from the SMAST-G. The provider focus groups explored the extent to which at-risk drinking is considered a problem among older adults. The sessions also collected perspectives on the most appropriate screening and counseling procedures, including a comparison of approaches such as those applied solely by health professionals and those using computer assisted technologies.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Alcohol Use, Elderly
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.