Behrendt Silke, Kuerbis Alexis, Mejldal Anna, Søndergaard Jens, Andersen Kjeld, Becker Ulrik, Eliasen Marie Holm, Nielsen Anette Søgaard
Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Unit of Clinical Alcohol Research, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, and Psychiatric Department, Region of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Drug Alcohol Rev. 2025 Feb;44(2):491-504. doi: 10.1111/dar.14000. Epub 2025 Jan 29.
Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are under-treated, particularly among older adults. Using data from national treatment registers can expand knowledge on the AUD treatment rate among older adults and on potential biases in treatment receipt. The aim of this paper was to determine the AUD treatment prevalence rate and to investigate sociodemographic, health-related and substance use-related correlates of AUD treatment receipt among older adults with different degrees of problematic alcohol use.
The study sample (n = 13,403; inclusion criteria: age 55-80 years, positive CAGE-C) is a subsample from the representative cross-sectional 2017 Danish National Health Survey. It was enriched with data from Danish National Registers, including the National Alcohol Treatment Database. Weighted 12-month AUD treatment prevalence rates were determined. Logistic regression analysis was applied to identify correlates of treatment receipt. All analyses were conducted among: (i) the study sample; (ii) the 28.9% with a positive original CAGE (n = 3725); and (iii) the 6.1% endorsing the CAGE's E-criterion (n = 692).
The 12-month AUD treatment prevalence was 0.5% in the study sample, 1.6% in the CAGE-, and 3.8% in the E-criterion subsample. Not being married or partnered, loneliness and contacts with health care providers were positively associated with AUD treatment receipt in all three samples.
Even in the subsample with putative alcohol withdrawal, the AUD treatment rate did not reach 5%. This finding suggests that putative AUD is significantly undertreated in older adults. Contacts with other health care providers may facilitate AUD treatment entry in this age group.
酒精使用障碍（AUD）的治疗不足，在老年人中尤为如此。利用国家治疗登记数据可以扩展对老年人AUD治疗率以及治疗接受方面潜在偏差的认识。本文旨在确定AUD治疗患病率，并调查不同程度酒精使用问题的老年人中AUD治疗接受情况的社会人口学、健康相关和物质使用相关的关联因素。
研究样本（n = 13403；纳入标准：年龄55 - 80岁，CAGE - C阳性）是2017年丹麦全国代表性横断面健康调查的一个子样本。它通过丹麦国家登记数据进行了补充，包括国家酒精治疗数据库。确定了加权的12个月AUD治疗患病率。应用逻辑回归分析来确定治疗接受的关联因素。所有分析在以下人群中进行：（i）研究样本；（ii）原始CAGE阳性的28.9%（n = 3725）；以及（iii）认可CAGE的E标准的6.1%（n = 692）。
研究样本中12个月AUD治疗患病率为0.5%，CAGE阳性子样本中为1.6%，E标准子样本中为3.8%。在所有三个样本中，未婚或未处于伴侣关系、孤独以及与医疗保健提供者的接触与AUD治疗接受呈正相关。
即使在假定有酒精戒断的子样本中，AUD治疗率也未达到5%。这一发现表明，老年人中假定的AUD治疗明显不足。与其他医疗保健提供者的接触可能有助于该年龄组的AUD治疗。
