21-22 Septembre 2009
During the Expert conference on Alcohol and Health organised by the Swedish Presidency, a report by the Swedish National Institute of Public Health concerning alcohol consumption trends and related harms among elderly (60 plus) EU citizens was presented and discussed. The main purpose of the report has been to outline the health-related, social and economic effects of alcohol use by the elderly, to discuss recent trends in alcohol consumption and alcohol related harms, and to determine whether current levels of consumption are problematic or warrant further attention.
This appears to be the first report to examine recent trends in alcohol consumption and related harms among elderly Europeans, who, for many reasons – including the physiological changes associated with ageing, increasing frailty and medication use – are more vulnerable to the negative health effects of alcohol compared to younger adults.
