Specific depressive symptoms are related with different patterns of alcohol use in community-dwelling older adults

• Published in: Archives of gerontology and geriatrics 2022-07, Vol.101, p.104696-104696, Article 104696
• Main Authors: Castellanos-Perilla, Nicolás, Borda, Miguel Germán, Cataño, Sara, Giraldo, Salomon, Vik-Mo, Audun Osland, Aarsland, Dag, Rao, Rahul Tony
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Alcohol drinking; Depression; Depressive disorder; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Mental health
• ISSN: 0167-4943; 1872-6976; 1872-6976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2022.104696

•Lower weekly drinking frequency and a higher number of drinks per serving were associated with total GDS score.•Dysphoric symptoms were associated with a lower frequency of alcohol consumption but more drinks per serving.•We found withdrawal and apathy related symptoms to be associated with a higher frequency of weekly alcohol consumption and a lower average number of drinks per serving.•Lack of vigour was associated with a lower likelihood of heavy drinking, lower frequency of consumption. To explore how individual depressive symptoms might contribute to different patterns of alcohol consumption in Colombian older adults living in the community. A Secondary analysis from a nationally representative cross-sectional study of more than 23,000 older adults, with data from 19,004 participants. Drinking frequency, and level (moderate or heavy drinking) were used to assess alcohol use and depressive symptoms explored with the 15 items-GDS., using bivariate and multivariate adjusted regression models. Lower weekly drinking frequency and a higher number of drinks per serving were associated with total GDS score. For individual symptoms, higher drinking frequency was associated with dropping activities and a preference to stay at home. Lower drinking frequency was associated with low mood, unhappiness, feelings of emptiness, worthlessness, hopelessness, and a lack of vigour. Lower number of drinks per serving was associated with withdrawal/apathy related symptoms; these also related to higher frequency of weekly alcohol consumption. Higher number of drinks per serving was associated with feelings of emptiness, worthlessness, boredom, helplessness, worthlessness. not wanting to be alive, thinking that other people are better off in their mood, being afraid that something bad will happen and subjective memory problems. Moderate drinkers had a higher likelihood of reporting lack of vigour. There were diverse patterns of alcohol use according to individual depressive symptoms. This has implications for interventions to reduce alcohol related harm in older people across a range of depressive symptoms with different patterns of alcohol use.