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Alcohol and Drug Use by Older Women: Results of a National Survey*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Kathryn Graham ,
Virginia Carver  and
Pamela J. Brett
Kathryn Graham
Affiliation:
Addiction Research Foundation
Virginia Carver
Affiliation:
Addiction Research Foundation
Pamela J. Brett
Affiliation:
Addiction Research Foundation
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Abstract

Substance use patterns and predictors of substance use by women aged 65 and over were examined using data from the Canadian National Alcohol and Other Drugs Survey (1989). Use patterns were consistent with findings from previous surveys: that older women drink less alcohol, smoke less and use less illicit drugs than other age-gender groups. Also consistent with previous surveys, older women reported the highest rate of psychoactive prescription drug use of all groups. Bivariate analyses indicated significant relationships between some social and demographic variables and substance use. Drinking was associated with being single, younger, not religious, in better health, and smoking. Smoking was associated with being younger, not religious, in poorer health, having less social support, drinking, and use of psychoactive prescription drugs. Use of psychoactive prescription drugs (especially sleeping pills) tended to be associated with being widowed, older, less educated, more religious, in poorer health, experiencing higher stress, having lower income and less social support, smoking, and use of other psychoactive prescription drugs. When data were analysed using principal component analysis, two very consistent dimensions of substance use emerged for older women: greater religiosity associated with less drinking and smoking, and a dimension involving use of all types of psychoactive prescription drugs. These findings are discussed in terms of projected use patterns for future older women and the need for a better understanding of the social context of older women's substance use that involves light to moderate alcohol use but a higher rate of use of psychoactive prescription drugs than other age-gender groups.

Résumé

L'utilisation et la prédiction de la consommation de drogues et d'alcool chez les femmes de 65 ans et plus ont été étudies au moyen de données tirées de l'Enquête nationale sur l'alcool et les autres drogues (1989). L'utilisation est la même que celles obtenues d'enquêtes antérieures; c'est-à-dire que les femmes plus âgées consomment moins d'alcool, fument moins et utilisent moins de drogues illégales que les autres groupes d'âge et de sexe. Également concordants avec d'autres études, le taux de consommation de médicaments psycholeptiques avec prescription médicale est plus élevé chez les femmes âgées qu'au sein de tout autre groupe. Des analyses bivariées ont démontré une relation significative entre certaines variables sociales et démographiques, et la consommation de drogues et d'alcool. La consommation d'alcool était le fait de personnes célibataires, jeunes, non pratiquantes, en bonne santé et fumant. La consommation de tabac est plus importante chez les personnes plus jeunes, non pratiquantes, en moins bonne santé, bénéficiant moins de soutiens sociaux, consommant de l'alcool et utilisant des médicaments psycholeptiques sous prescription médicale. L'utilisation de ces médicaments (partitulièrement les somnifères) était plutôt le fait de femmes veuves, plus âgées, devotes, en moins bonne santé, ayant un niveau de scolarité moins élevé et un revenu moins élevé, devant faire face à des situations très stressantes, bénéficiant moins de soutien social, fumant et consommant d'autres médicaments psycholeptiques sous prescription médicale. L'analyse des données, réalisée au moyen d'une analyse de composantes principales, a révélé deux dimensions concordantes de la consommation de drogues et d'alcool chez les femmes âgées: une plus grande religiosité associée à une moindre consommation de tabac et d'alcool d'une part et, d'autre part, la consommation de médicaments psycholeptiques de prescription médicale de toutes sortes. Ces résultats sont discutés en fonction de l'utilisation prévue des femmes âgées de demain et du besoin de mieux comprendre le contexte social de la consommation de drogues et d'alcool chez les femmes âgées, où la consommationm d'alcool va de légère à modéreé, mais où le taux de consommation de médicaments psycholeptiques sous prescription medicale est plus élevé qu'au sein de tout autre groupe d'âge et de sexe.

Keywords

AgingAlcohol UseDrug UseWomenVieillissementconsommation d'alcoolde droguefemmes
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 14 , Issue 4 , Winter/hiver 1995 , pp. 769 - 791
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1995

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