Alcoholism among the elderly in Manila, Philippines

Abstract

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcoholism is a condition resulting from excessive ingestion of or idiosyncratic reaction to alcohol. Acute alcoholism is a state of acute intoxication with temporary and reversible mental and bodily effects; chronic alcoholism is the fact and consequence of habitual use. Problem drinkers are those who drink enough to cause problems for themselves and society. Major criteria formed by the National Council on Alcoholism to diagnose the disease of alcoholism include: a. Drinking a fifth of whiskey a day, or its equivalent in wine or beer, for a 180- pound person b. Alcoholic "blackouts" c. Withdrawal syndrome - gross tremor, hallucinosis, convulsions, or delirium tremens (DTs) d. Blood alcohol level above 150 mg I 100 ml without seeming intoxicated e. Continued drinking despite medical advice or family or job problems clearly caused by drinking. Minor criteria include signs such as gulping drinks, repeatedly " going on the wagon," frequent car accidents, surreptitious drinking, and drinking to relieve anger, fatigue, or depression. Approximately 15 per cent of the older population have serious alcohol problems, and , in some urban areas, the figure may be as high as 40 per cent (Atchley, 1980). Studies have shown that the overall incidence of alcoholism in the elderly is lower than that in the young, but it is more often a hidden condition in later life because most older people are retired. The rates of drinking, heavy drinking, and alcohol-related problems are lower among persons over age 60 than among those under 60, according to a study by Barnes (1979). In addition, it was found that heavy drinking was almost non-existent among elderly women, whereas sizeable proportions of older men were heavy drinkers.