Prevalence and Correlates of Risky Drinking Among the Oldest-Old in China: A National Community-Based Survey

Abstract

Aims: To investigate the prevalence and correlates of risky drinking in Chinese elderly people aged 80 and over.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) conducted in 2018. A total of 10,141 respondents aged 80 years or older were included in this analysis. Risky drinking was defined as drinking > 2 drinks per day. The participants were divided into no risky drinking, past risky drinking, and current risky drinking groups. The prevalence of risky drinking, daily dosage, and type of alcohol beverages were assessed. The correlates of risky drinking were analyzed using logistic regression.

Results: The prevalence of past and current risky drinking was 6.2 and 4.4%, respectively. A total of 12.2% of males and 2.1% of females reported past risky drinking, and 8.9% of males and 1.4% of females reported current risky drinking. The median of the daily dosage of the past risky drinking group was 4.5 and 4 drinks in males and females, respectively, and were 4 and 3.3, respectively, of the current risky drinking group. Strong liquor was the most popular alcohol beverage in all groups. Men who were older or had white-collar work were less likely to be past risky drinkers, while those with smoking in past or current or heart disease were more likely to be past risky drinkers. Women who smoked in the past were more likely to be past risky drinkers. Men with older age or living in the urban areas or with heart disease were less likely to be current risky drinkers. Women with higher education or with heart disease were less likely to be current risky drinkers. Women with current smoking were more likely to have current risky drinking.

Conclusions: Our findings indicated that risky drinking among the oldest-old was not rare in China. The correlates of past and current risky drinking were different. Men and women had various correlates of risky drinking as well. Those with higher socioeconomic status seemed less likely to be risky drinking. More attention should be given to risky drinking among the oldest old, and sex-specific intervention may be needed.

Keywords: alcohol use problem; national community-based survey; prevalence; risky drinking; the oldest old.