LATE-LIFE PROBLEM DRINKING - PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISK-FACTORS FOR 4-YEAR FUNCTIONING OUTCOMES AND TREATMENT SEEKING

Recent research emphasizes the importance of identifying older problem drinkers. However, very little is known about the longitudinal course and predictors of late-life problem drinking. This prospective study of late-life problem drinkers (N = 581) focused on predictors of alcoh ol consumption, drinking problems, depression, and treatment seeking o ver a 4-year interval. Heavier baseline alcohol use and being male ind ependently predicted more alcohol consumption 4 years later; more base line drinking problems and early-onset status independently predicted more drinking problems at follow-up. Independent of other factors, mor e initial depressive symptoms and chronic health stressors portended m ore depressive symptoms at follow-up. Individuals who initially sought more treatment, and who had more chronic health and spouse stressors at baseline, were more likely to seek help 4 years later. Heavier reli ance on avoidance coping strategies heightened the risk that stressors and friends' approval of drinking would lead to more drinking problem s at follow-up. However, for individuals who had more drinking problem s at baseline, such environmental risk factors as negative health even ts and friend stressors predicted fewer subsequent drinking problems.