The Medicine, Health, and Aging Project

Alcohol-Rx Interactions: Health Outcomes in the Elderly

Funding

National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Period

9/30/96-8/31/99

Principal Investigator

Frank Ahern, Ph.D.

Co-Investigators

Lynn Kozlowski, Ph.D.

Carol H. Gold, Ph.D.

Debra Heller, Ph.D.

Background

This study is also a follow-up to the 1990-1991 NIA-funded cross-sectional survey on elderly who were at risk for adverse effects due to concomitant use of alcohol and alcohol-interactive prescription drugs.

Objectives

This study will use the sample of over 10,000 PACE enrolled elderly who completed the telephone screening interview during 1990-91 and for whom data on use of prescription drugs and alcohol are available. The specific aims of the study are to assess the impact of use of alcohol, prescription drugs, and alcohol-drug interaction on mortality, selected clinical outcomes as measured by Medicare and PACE.