Gender differences in hazardous alcohol consumption among Swedish middle-aged and older adults: a population-based study with 28-year follow-up
1
Department of Public Health and Caring Science, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
2
Centre for Clinical Research Västmanland, Uppsala Univserity, Västerås, Sweden
3
Epidemiology of Psychiatric Conditions, Substance use and Social environment (EPiCSS), Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Alcohol consumption contributes to approximately 2.6 million deaths annually worldwide and leads to disability and impaired health in millions of individuals. Hazardous alcohol use imposes substantial economic costs on society and constitutes a major public health concern. However, few studies focus on alcohol use in old age. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of hazardous alcohol use, gender differences, and temporal changes in a Swedish older population.
METHODS:
This population-based prospective cohort study is based on data from a Swedish research infrastructure (SIMPLER). Participants, born between 1914 and 1952 (43% female), participated in repeated health examinations and completed questionnaires on lifestyle habits and socioeconomic factors in 1997 (“wave 1”, n = 84890; age (mean, SD) 61.1±9.58 years), 2008–2009, (“wave 2”, n = 47918; 70.0 ±8.11 years) and 2019 (“wave 3”, n = 29104; 76.9 ±6.14 years). Data were analysed using RStudio version 2023.06.2.
RESULTS:
In 1997, hazardous alcohol use (≥120 g of alcohol per week) was observed in 2.8% of women and 18.9% of men. The corresponding percentages for women and men at wave 2 were 4.4% and 17.0%, and at wave 3, 3.3% and 14.3%. When stratified into four age groups (45–<55, 55–<65, 65–<75, and ≥75 years), the prevalence of hazardous alcohol use declined with increasing age, although gender differences persisted across all age groups. Ever smoking was reported by 40% of women and 55% of men, and lower educational attainment by 41.9% and 34.8% respectively.
CONCLUSIONS:
Hazardous alcohol use remains prevalent beyond midlife (>65 years) and was more common among men, in all age groups. These findings underscore the need for preventive interventions targeting older as well as younger populations. Improved understanding of age- and gender-specific alcohol consumption patterns may thereby facilitate the development of more effective preventive strategies.
Alcohol consumption contributes to approximately 2.6 million deaths annually worldwide and leads to disability and impaired health in millions of individuals. Hazardous alcohol use imposes substantial economic costs on society and constitutes a major public health concern. However, few studies focus on alcohol use in old age. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of hazardous alcohol use, gender differences, and temporal changes in a Swedish older population.
METHODS:
This population-based prospective cohort study is based on data from a Swedish research infrastructure (SIMPLER). Participants, born between 1914 and 1952 (43% female), participated in repeated health examinations and completed questionnaires on lifestyle habits and socioeconomic factors in 1997 (“wave 1”, n = 84890; age (mean, SD) 61.1±9.58 years), 2008–2009, (“wave 2”, n = 47918; 70.0 ±8.11 years) and 2019 (“wave 3”, n = 29104; 76.9 ±6.14 years). Data were analysed using RStudio version 2023.06.2.
RESULTS:
In 1997, hazardous alcohol use (≥120 g of alcohol per week) was observed in 2.8% of women and 18.9% of men. The corresponding percentages for women and men at wave 2 were 4.4% and 17.0%, and at wave 3, 3.3% and 14.3%. When stratified into four age groups (45–<55, 55–<65, 65–<75, and ≥75 years), the prevalence of hazardous alcohol use declined with increasing age, although gender differences persisted across all age groups. Ever smoking was reported by 40% of women and 55% of men, and lower educational attainment by 41.9% and 34.8% respectively.
CONCLUSIONS:
Hazardous alcohol use remains prevalent beyond midlife (>65 years) and was more common among men, in all age groups. These findings underscore the need for preventive interventions targeting older as well as younger populations. Improved understanding of age- and gender-specific alcohol consumption patterns may thereby facilitate the development of more effective preventive strategies.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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