Alcohol Predominates Among Substance Abuse Admissions for Older Men
A report issued by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) indicates that of adults aged 50 or over that entered substance treatment in 2003, 48 percent were admitted for alcohol only. Drawing on Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), they further concluded that a staggering 80 percent of those were male. Additionally, alcohol admissions constituted more first-time admissions (45 percent) than other substances (33 percent). This information comes as the population of older adults with substance abuse is anticipated to double from 1999 figures by 2020.