Gender differences in alcohol consumption among middle-aged and older adults in Australia, the United States and Korea

OBJECTIVES: To compare gender differences in alcohol use and the socioeconomic correlates of at-risk drinking among middle-aged and older adults in Australia, the United States (US) and South Korea. METHOD: Data were drawn from large nationally representative surveys of people aged 45 years and older, collected in 2006. RESULTS: Rates of any drinking and at-risk drinking (>14 US standard drinks/week) were higher for males than females in all countries and these gender differences were largest in Korea. Socioeconomic differentials for at-risk drinking varied by country and gender. In the US, at-risk drinking was associated with lower educational levels among men, but higher educational levels among women; in Korea, it was associated with being unpartnered, particularly for women; and in Australia, at-risk drinking was associated with higher income. CONCLUSIONS: Gender-role expectations differ between countries and may influence both the levels at which older adults consume alcohol and the ways in which at-risk drinking is associated with socioeconomic factors. IMPLICATIONS: Heavy alcohol use in middle-aged and older adults is a cause for concern. Health promotion strategies should target older age groups and consider the ways in which gender, marital status and education influence norms and opportunities for risky alcohol use.This paper uses unit record data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. The HILDA Project was initiated and is funded by the Australian Government Department of Family, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) and is managed by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research (MIAESR). HRS is sponsored by the National Institute of Aging (Grant No. NIA U01AG009740) and conducted by the University of Michigan. KLoSA is conducted by the Korean Labor Institute and funded by the Korean Ministry of Labor through the Employment Insurance Fund