Late-onset alcohol dependence: patient-reported problems

Abstract

Introduction: Elderly alcohol dependent patients can be discriminated based on the age of onset of alcohol use. This is relevant for their clinical problem presentation and for the course of treatment.

Materials and methods: In this paper, problems of elderly patients are presented at intake in an addiction treatment center, based on the most recent, almost nationwide applied intake instrument in The Netherlands: the MATE. Prevalences are analyzed for substance use, psychiatric and somatic co-morbidity, level and severity of dependence, limitations in daily functioning, craving, and perceived levels of depression, anxiety and stress. Among a total of 1942 alcohol dependent patients, four subpopulations were compared in the analyses: adults (24–55 years), elderly patients (≥ 55 years) with early (early-onset alcohol dependence (EOAD), < 25 years), middle (medium-onset alcohol dependence (MOAD), 25–45 years) and late (late-onset alcohol dependence (LOAD),  > 45 years) onset alcohol dependence.

Results: Results show that LOAD has less problem severity in almost all assessment areas than adults. They do however use 3.5 times more often medication for physical illnesses, and suffer more often from confusion and somatic diseases. LOAD is not different from EOAD and MOAD.

Conclusion: The results show that LOAD in a relatively short time period developed an alcohol dependence and alcohol related problems that are similar to that of their peers who used alcohol for a much longer time.

Keywords:

• Late-onset
• alcohol dependence
• elderly patients
• comorbidity

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.