Alcohol, Driving, and Health among Community-dwelling Older Adults.

Objective The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationships among alcohol use, driving behavior, and indicators of health among older adults. Methods A sample of 818 adults ages 65 and older were recruited through the state motor vehicle administration and completed an online survey. Regression models were used to assess the associations between alcohol use, driving behaviors, and 6 health indicators. Results Whereas more frequent alcohol use was associated with fewer health conditions, higher quantity alcohol use was associated with increased likelihood of having at least one health condition. Participants who drove several days a week and those who drove every day had higher perceived health status, a lower number of past-year health conditions, and a lower number of past-year health events when compared to less frequent drivers. Persons who had at least one past-year negative driving behavior or event were significantly less likely to have positive health status, had lower perceived health status, and had a higher number of past-year health conditions and events. Conclusions High quantity alcohol use and risky driving behavior among older adults are indicative of poorer health. Continued efforts are needed to educate older adults on the relationships among alcohol use, driving behavior, and health.

[1]  P. Brill.  Alcohol and aging: clinical and public health perspectives , 2019, Activities, Adaptation & Aging.

[2]  K. Beck,et al.  Driving concerns among older adults: Associations with driving skill, behaviors, and experiences , 2019, Traffic injury prevention.

[3]  David W. Eby,et al.  Transportation and Aging: An Updated Research Agenda for Advancing Safe Mobility , 2019, Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society.

[4]  E. Conlon,et al.  The influence of age-related health difficulties and attitudes toward driving on driving self-regulation in the baby boomer and older adult generations. , 2017, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[5]  Diane E Gyi,et al.  Driving a better driving experience: a questionnaire survey of older compared with younger drivers , 2017, Ergonomics.

[6]  J. Palamar,et al.  Demographic trends of binge alcohol use and alcohol use disorders among older adults in the United States, 2005-2014. , 2017, Drug and alcohol dependence.

[7]  T. Chikritzhs,et al.  Do "Moderate" Drinkers Have Reduced Mortality Risk? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Alcohol Consumption and All-Cause Mortality. , 2016, Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs.

[8]  Kenneth H. Beck,et al.  Characteristics of college students who text while driving: Do their perceptions of a significant other influence their decisions? , 2016 .

[9]  D. Hasin,et al.  Alcohol Consumption in Demographic Subpopulations: An Epidemiologic Overview. , 2016 .

[10]  D. Qato,et al.  Drug–Alcohol Interactions in Older U.S. Adults , 2015, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[11]  T. Chikritzhs,et al.  Has the leaning tower of presumed health benefits from 'moderate' alcohol use finally collapsed? , 2015, Addiction.

[12]  Isabelle Gélinas,et al.  Awareness Tool for Safe and Responsible Driving (OSCAR): A Potential Educational Intervention for Increasing Interest, Openness and Knowledge About the Abilities Required and Compensatory Strategies Among Older Drivers , 2015, Traffic injury prevention.

[13]  Kathleen Golisz,et al.  Occupational therapy interventions to improve driving performance in older adults: a systematic review. , 2014, The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

[14]  C. Holahan,et al.  Episodic heavy drinking and 20-year total mortality among late-life moderate drinkers. , 2014, Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research.

[15]  T. Fahey,et al.  Potential for alcohol and drug interactions in older adults: evidence from the Irish longitudinal study on ageing , 2014, BMC Geriatrics.

[16]  Kenneth H Beck,et al.  Distress Tolerance as a Predictor of Risky and Aggressive Driving , 2014, Traffic injury prevention.

[17]  M. Dougados,et al.  Comorbidity indices. , 2014, Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology.

[18]  Charles J Kahane,et al.  Injury Vulnerability and Effectiveness of Occupant Protection Technologies for Older Occupants and Women , 2013 .

[19]  C. Bryant,et al.  Validation of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ) in older adults. , 2013, Addictive behaviors.

[20]  Kenneth H Beck,et al.  Hurried driving: Relationship to distress tolerance, driver anger, aggressive and risky driving in college students. , 2013, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[21]  V. Jones,et al.  The effect of a low and high resource intervention on older drivers' knowledge, behaviors and risky driving. , 2012, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[22]  Jonathan J. Rolison,et al.  Risk of Fatal Injury in Older Adult Drivers, Passengers, and Pedestrians , 2012, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[23]  Kenneth H Beck,et al.  A Descriptive Analysis of the Social Context of Drinking Among First-Time DUI Offenders , 2011, Traffic injury prevention.

[24]  Matthew Rizzo,et al.  Neuropsychological Predictors of Driving Errors in Older Adults , 2010, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[25]  G. Hankey,et al.  Alcohol use and mortality in older men and women. , 2010, Addiction.

[26]  Sherrilene Classen,et al.  Traffic violations versus driving errors of older adults: informing clinical practice. , 2010, The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

[27]  R. Heuberger.  Alcohol and the Older Adult: A Comprehensive Review , 2009, Journal of nutrition for the elderly.

[28]  R. Hingson,et al.  Age of Drinking Onset, Alcohol Use Disorders, Frequent Heavy Drinking, and Unintentionally Injuring Oneself and Others After Drinking , 2009, Pediatrics.

[29]  Allyson Hall,et al.  Predictors of injury among younger and older adults in fatal motor vehicle crashes. , 2008, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[30]  Jenny F. Homer,et al.  Alcohol consumption and health among elders. , 2008, The Gerontologist.

[31]  E. Lagarde,et al.  Systematic screening for unsafe driving due to medical conditions: Still debatable , 2008, BMC public health.

[32]  Brian N. Fildes.  Older drivers' safety and mobility: Current and future issues , 2006 .

[33]  K. Anstey,et al.  Interventions to reduce the adverse psychosocial impact of driving cessation on older adults , 2006, Clinical interventions in aging.

[34]  K. Beck,et al.  Concerns, dispositions and behaviors of aggressive drivers: what do self-identified aggressive drivers believe about traffic safety? , 2006, Journal of Safety Research.

[35]  A. Moore,et al.  Is There a Relationship Between Excessive Drinking and Functional Impairment in Older Persons? , 2003, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[36]  Liisa Hakamies-Blomqvist,et al.  OLDER DRIVERS' ABERRANT DRIVING BEHAVIOUR, IMPAIRED ACTIVITY, AND HEALTH AS REASONS FOR SELF-IMPOSED DRIVING LIMITATIONS , 2002 .

[37]  Randy W. Elder,et al.  Reviews of evidence regarding interventions to reduce alcohol-impaired driving. , 2001, American journal of preventive medicine.

[38]  P. Gruenewald,et al.  The effect of drinking and driving interventions on alcohol-involved traffic crashes within a comprehensive community trial. , 1997, Addiction.

[39]  Ron D. Hays,et al.  User's Manual for the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Core Measures of Health-Related Quality of Life , 1995 .

[40]  A. Ostfeld,et al.  Driving cessation and changes in mileage driven among elderly individuals. , 1993, Journal of gerontology.

[41]  M. K. Campbell,et al.  Medical conditions associated with driving cessation in community-dwelling, ambulatory elders. , 1993, Journal of gerontology.

[42]  A M Jette,et al.  A Ten-Year Follow-Up of Driving Patterns among the Community-Dwelling Elderly , 1992, Human factors.

[43]  P. Vignal.  [Traffic safety]. , 1952, Gazette medicale de France.