Alcohol use and the physical and mental health status of aging Black women.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate alcohol use among two groups of aging black women, and to explore the nature of the associations between drinking status, drinking behavior, coping related drinking, resilience, and physical and mental health. The theoretical perspective that guided the study was the 'weathering model of health' which asserts that economically disadvantaged women are exposed to multiple risk factors which results in premature aging. Use of alcohol was included as a potential risk factor. The sample was comprised of 581 women from primary health care clinics; 53% were mid-life (40--59) and 47% were late-life (60 and older). The majority of the women were educated at or below the high school level; most were not employed (63%), and almost half (47%) lived in neighborhoods with poverty rates of 34% and higher. The Medical Outcome Study Short Form Health Survey was used to assess physical and mental health status. Drinking measures included weekly consumption, binge episodes, and coping-related drinking. Measures of resilience (optimism and social support) were also included in the assessment. The majority of women in this study (69%) were non-drinkers. Midlife women were more likely to be current drinkers than the late life women. The average weekly consumption was 8 drinks, and there was an average of 2 binge episodes for the three-month period prior to the interview. Midlife women reported significantly more coping-related drinking than women in late life. Linear regression revealed that no alcohol use variables were significant in predicting physical health status. The drinking characteristic that emerged as significant was coping-related drinking which contributed to lower mental health status. Age, education, and measures of resilience accounted for the majority of the variance in health status. These findings imply that although black women have very high rates for abstainers, midlife may be an optimal time for intervention with black women drinkers. Also, given the significant role of optimism and social support in health status, future research should place more emphasis on the role of resilience and hardiness among black women. Limitations of study were discussed.