Alcohol and prescribed psychotropic drug use among patients admitted to a department of old-age psychiatry in Norway
Sammanfattning
Background: Although alcohol and prescribed psychotropic drug use has increased among older
people, the usefulness of information provided about these substances in patients’ referrals to
departments of old-age psychiatry (OAPsy) is unknown. Aims: To examine whether patients’ selfreported
elevated use of alcohol and prescribed psychotropic drugs corresponds with information
provided in the referrals to OAPsy departments and to explore the factors associated with elevated
self-reported use of these substances. Methods: We recorded the information provided in
referrals about the elevated use of alcohol and psychotropic drugs in a sample of 206 patients (69
men) from 12 OAPsy departments. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and
Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) helped to assess self-reported use. We also
collected demographic data, as well as information about cognitive functioning and symptoms of
anxiety and depression. Results: Seventy-three patients (35%) scored above the cut-off for
alcohol use for women/men (AUDIT 3/4) or psychotropic drugs (DUDIT 6/8), if not both.
Twenty patients (10%) reported an elevated use of both alcohol and psychotropic drugs, and the
referrals for eight (40%) and ten (50%) of them, respectively, included information about this use.
There was a significant association between self-reported use of alcohol above the cut-off and
information about elevated use in the referrals. However, no such association was found between
information in the referrals and self-reported use of prescribed psychotropic drugs. Elevated
alcohol use was associated with more years of education, while elevated use of psychotropic drugs
was associated with younger age and severe symptoms of anxiety and depression. Conclusion:
The information reported in referrals about the elevated use of alcohol and psychotropic drugs
demonstrated a trend in associations with self-reported use. However, the risk factors for elevated
use of alcohol and psychotropic drugs in the elderly need to be examined further.