Survey: 17 percent of older Americans are addicted
CNN, May 8, 1998
The
survey shows older people are more likely to hide substance abuse
BURBANK, California – A survey
released by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment suggests up to 17
percent of U.S. citizens aged 60 and older are addicted to substances.
"These are mainly problems related
to alcohol, tobacco and prescription and over-the-counter
medications," Frederic
Blow of the Michigan Alcohol Research Center told CNN.
Among the survey's findings: 15 percent
of men and 12 percent of women regularly drink in excess of the
one-drink-a-day limit suggested by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism.
"Most people are not screened for
alcohol abuse, even though there is significant evidence that many abusers
of alcohol start later in life," said Camille
Barry of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.
Barry also said that older people are
more vulnerable to substance abuse because the over-60 age group takes
more prescription drugs than any other age group in the United States.
Mixing the prescription drugs with alcohol puts users at additional risk.
The survey, released Thursday, was
conducted by a non-federal, consensus panel that included primary care
doctors, social workers and senior center staff members. The group
combined the results of earlier studies done on elderly substance abuse.
The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The researchers say several,
intertwining factors can contribute to substance abuse among older
citizens, including loosing a spouse, loneliness and moving from a
long-loved home into an apartment.
Physiological changes that accompany the
aging process can also make a difference. As you get older, you become
more susceptible to the effects of alcohol.
"When I was 35, I could definitely
have a few more drinks than what I do today. Maybe I'm just slowing down a
bit," one woman told CNN.
The survey also found that older people
are more likely to hide their addiction and less likely to seek
professional help. Health officials urge family members to help identify
the problem and seek the proper help.
Correspondent Jennifer Auther
contributed to this report.
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