Use of alcohol among elderly people attending primary health care

Abstract

Objective: To verify the pattern of alcohol use among the elderly attending a primary health care service and to describe the relationship between the use of alcohol and sociodemographic variables. Methods: Observational, cross-sectional, quantitative study with elderly patients from a primary health care service in a city in the interior of São Paulo/Brazil. Of 750 elderly subjects in total, 112 were included, 85 were interviewed, and the final sample was comprised of 25 subjects who self-reported alcohol use. Data of the study were obtained through interviews for application of the following instruments: sociodemographic questionnaire, Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test-Geriatric Version (MAST-G); and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Results: There was predominance of the female gender (56%), retirees (56%), mean age was 69.8 years (60-83 years range), educational level of 7.4 years of study, on average, ranging from no education to complete higher education. Fifteen elderly (60%) scored between 8 and 14 points in the AUDIT, which is risk use; and 10 (40%) had a score of 7 points, considered low risk use. In MAST-G, the 25 patients (100%) suggest the presence of problems related to alcohol use. Conclusion: The study contributes to the situation of alcohol use by the elderly. This is based on the existence of a greater number of women at risk in the population studied. These issues should be considered in health professionals' approach and investigations with a view to adopting strategies for the global and humanized treatment of elderly alcohol users.