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Clinical & Research NewsFull Access

Drug Abuse, Misuse Increasing Among Americans Aged 50 and Older

Published Online:17 Jun 2005https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.40.12.00400021a

Admissions of adults aged 50 and older for substance abuse treatment increased by 32 percent from 1995 to 2002, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Although substance use is more common among younger adults (aged 18 to 49) than among older adults (aged 50 and older), the misuse of alcohol and the use of illicit drugs appear to be increasing among older adults, SAMHSA reported in “Older Adults in Substance Abuse Treatment: Update.”

Misuse of opiates, especially prescription pain medications, appears to be an important factor driving the increase in substance abuse by older adults. The SAMHSA report noted that the percentage of older adults with opiates as their primary substance of abuse increased from 6.8 percent to 12 percent in this eight-year period.

Alcohol is still the primary substance of abuse among older adults, but the proportion of hospital admissions for older adults reporting alcohol as their primary substance declined from 86.5 percent in 1995 to 77.5 percent in 2002. Drug admissions among those age 55 and older increased by 106 percent for men and 119 percent for women between 1995 and 2002, according to SAMHSA.

To counter the upward trend in the abuse of opiates, SAMHSA is sponsoring new advertisements in print and on radio and television to encourage older adults to “Do The Right Dose” when using prescription pain relievers.

“We are only beginning to realize the pervasiveness of substance abuse among older adults,” SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie, M.A., said. “We have made older adults a priority at SAMHSA, and we are working to advance understanding of the relationship between aging and substance abuse, and to provide practical information for incorporating our understanding into treatment services.”

The SAMHSA report is based on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), which asks persons aged 12 or older to report their use of drugs, including cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs. “Illicit drugs” include prescription-type drugs used nonmedically. All findings are annual averages based on combined 2002 and 2003 NSDUH data.

“Older Adults in Substance Abuse Treatment: Update” is posted on the Web at<www.oas.samhsa.gov/aging.htm>.▪