Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
Int Psychogeriatr. 2012 Aug;24(8):1275-83. doi: 10.1017/S1041610212000087. Epub 2012 Feb 20.
Alcohol use disorders are associated with other mental health disorders in young adults, but there are few data on alcohol use and mental health outcomes in older adults, particularly the oldest old. This study examines the relationship between alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms.
Data were collected from the Dynamic Analyses to Optimise Ageing (DYNOPTA) project, which has pooled nine Australian longitudinal studies. Alcohol consumption was classified using standard drinks (10 g alcohol)/day as: abstinent, low risk (<0-≤ 2 standard drinks), long-term risk (>2-≤ 4) and short-term risk (>4). Probable depression was classified from harmonized scores on various standard instruments (e.g. Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale).
Overall, 39,104 (86%) participants contributed data. Alcohol classification at baseline showed 7,526 abstinent, 28,112 low risk, 2,271 long-term risk, and 1,195 short-term risk participants. Age ranged from 45 to 103 year (median 60). Using generalized estimating equations (GEE), there were significant gender by alcohol and gender by age interactions, so the analysis was split by gender. Among males, the abstinent and short-term risk groups had increased likelihood of depression: in females the abstinent, long- and short-term risk groups had increased odds of depression. Increased odds of depression was also associated with former and current smoking, younger age-group, not being partnered, leaving school before age 15 and increasing levels of health-impaired walking, dressing, or bathing.
The impact of alcohol use differs by gender, nevertheless those using higher levels of alcohol or who smoke should be screened for depression and may benefit from interventions.
酒精使用障碍与年轻人的其他心理健康障碍有关，但关于老年人（尤其是最年长的老年人）的酒精使用与心理健康结果的数据很少。本研究探讨了饮酒与抑郁症状之间的关系。
数据来自澳大利亚的九个纵向研究的动态分析优化老龄化（DYNOPTA）项目。使用标准饮品（10 克酒精/天）将饮酒量分为：不饮酒、低风险（<0-≤2 标准饮品）、长期风险（>2-≤4）和短期风险（>4）。使用各种标准工具（例如，流行病学研究抑郁量表）的协调得分对可能的抑郁进行分类。
共有 39104（86%）名参与者提供了数据。基线时的酒精分类显示 7526 名不饮酒者、28112 名低风险者、2271 名长期风险者和 1195 名短期风险者。年龄范围从 45 岁到 103 岁（中位数 60 岁）。使用广义估计方程（GEE），存在酒精和性别与性别和年龄的交互作用，因此按性别进行了分析。在男性中，不饮酒者和短期风险者患抑郁症的可能性增加：在女性中，不饮酒者、长期和短期风险者患抑郁症的几率增加。患抑郁症的几率也与曾经和现在吸烟、年龄较小、未婚、15 岁前辍学以及健康受损的行走、穿衣或洗澡程度增加有关。
尽管酒精使用的影响因性别而异，但应筛查使用较高水平酒精或吸烟的人是否患有抑郁症，并且他们可能受益于干预措施。
