Financial Difficulties May Prompt Seniors to Drink and Smoke More
When economic times are hard, older people are more likely to drink and smoke more heavily, especially if they are men, according to a new study from the State University of New York at Albany.
Dr. Benjamin Shaw and his colleagues at the University's School of Public Health studied the drinking and financial patterns of 2,300 adults over 65 years old during the 14-year period from 1992 to 2006. About 3% increased their alcohol consumption and 1% increased their tobacco consumption after experiencing financial difficulties. However, the men in the study were 30% more likely to drink heavily if they had financial problems when compared with men who were financially secure.
One finding surprised the research team: Seniors in the study with high educational levels actually cut back when they had money problems.
"This was a little bit surprising because, generally speaking, people with more money are the heaviest drinkers," said Dr. David Jernigan, professor of health behavior and science at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "White people making $75,000 or more annually are the most prevalent population of binge drinkers."
Dr. Shaw said that his study predicts that more seniors will abuse alcohol and tobacco if economic conditions continue in a downturn. He also said his study shows that the habits of older adults are not necessarily entrenched and can be subject to change, and he speculated that men may be more likely to drink when they feel they have failed to provide for their families.
Others noted that Dr. Shaw's study only proves an association between financial difficulties and increased drinking, and does not prove one causes the other.
Dr. Petros Levounis, director of the Addiction Institute of New York at St. Luke's-Roosevelt, said that he would like to see a study of people who have overcome substance disorders, but who relapse during stressful periods.
"Stress can affect people in sobriety," he said, "meaning that people who used to be heavy drinkers, who may have stopped for 20 or 30 years, and then they fall under tough economic times and relapse. That is of great concern."
Dr. Shaw's study appears in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
