Description
While the proportion of Australians drinking at risky levels has generally declined over the last two decades, risky drinking patterns have remained steady or increased among older adults. The most recent data from the 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey indicate that nearly one in five Australians in their 60s drink at levels exceeding the official guidelines of more than two drinks per day, putting them at risk of long-term harm. One of the most significant risk factors associated with alcohol consumption in later life is the increased likelihood of cognitive decline and dementia.
Online alcohol intervention programs offer a promising new avenue to provide support for older adults, who are increasingly accessing and regularly using the internet, to reduce their drinking. CHeBA researcher Dr Louise Mewton in conjunction with other CHeBA colleagues and researchers at the University of Sydney have developed a brief online alcohol intervention adapted specifically for older adults. The Rethink My Drink Study is a large-scale randomised controlled trial to examine the efficacy of the intervention.
Aim
To examine whether a brief online alcohol intervention for older adults reduces alcohol consumption, cognitive decline and other alcohol-related harms and improves quality of life in older risky drinkers.
Dr Louise Mewton has been awarded a World Class Research Large Grant from the Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC) to conduct this research.
