Short summary

Alcohol abuse among elderly people is often overseen and misdiagnosed by medical physicians. 

The aim of this study is to examine alcohol consumption among patients older than 65 years. 

Furthermure socioeconomic factors associated with alcohol abuse will be studied.

Rationale

Statistics reveal that elderly people between 55-74 years have the second highest alcohol consumption in Denmark. The current demographic growth will result in an absolute increase of alcohol consumption in this group within the next few decades. Studies have shown, that healthcare workers have a tendency to underdiagnose alcohol abuse among elderly people. Phophatidylethanol (B-Peth) is a blodtest, that can be used as a marker for alcohol consumption. It is a phospholipid only formed when consuming alcohol. The higher intake, the higher increase in B-Peth. It differs from the alcoholmarkers, that are currently used to detect alcohol abuse, by having a half-life of about 4 days. This means, that this marker can detect alcohol consumption a few weeks after intake. This test has been included as a standard part of the geriatric blodtest profile at Kolding Hospital. The purpose of this study is to examine alcohol consumption among patients older than 65 years, who arrives at the Emergency Department at Kolding sygehus. This will be done by looking at B-Peth, a questionnaire on alcohol consumption and socio-economic factors and journal notes on alcohol intake. Furthermore, socioeconomic factors associated with alcohol abuse in the elderly will also be studied.

Description of the cohort

Patients > 65 years arriving in the medical sector of the emergency department in Kolding hospital, who were able to answer af questionnare, were included over a period of 3 weeks. 

Data and biological material

Questionnaires on alcohol consumption and socio-economic factors.

Journal notes on alcohol consumption.

Blodtest as a part of the geriatric profile: B-PEth.

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of internal medicine, Kolding Hospital

• Afdelingslæge Birgitte Godskesen Tougaard
• PhD Thomas Bastholm Olsen
• Overlæge Mohamad El-Faramawi
• Overlæge Lisbeth Madsen Fredholm