The effects of exceeding low-risk drinking thresholds on self-rated health and all-cause mortality in older adults: the Tromsø study 1994-2020.

Background: Based on findings of increasing alcohol consumption in older adults, it is important to clarify the health consequences. Using data from the Tromsø study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between different levels of alcohol consumption in old adulthood and self-rated health trajectories and all-cause mortality.

Methods: This is an epidemiological study utilizing repeated measures from the Tromsø study cohort.

Sex differences in at-risk drinking and associated factors-a cross-sectional study of 8,616 community-dwelling adults 60 years and older: the Tromsø study, 2015-16.

Background: Alcohol consumption among older adults is on the rise, which may be an increasing public health concern. The proportion of older adults who drink above defined low-risk drinking limits, associated characteristics and the sex distribution of at-risk drinking vary across countries. The aims of this study were to (i) estimate the prevalence of at-risk drinking among older adults in Norway, (ii) investigate factors associated with at-risk drinking, and (iii) examine sex differences in alcohol consumption in the context of sociodemographic and selected health characteristics.

The changing alcohol drinking patterns among older adults show that women are closing the gender gap in more frequent drinking: the Tromsø study, 1994-2016.

Background: As the population of older adults continues to grow, changes in alcohol consumption are important to monitor because an increase may have public health consequences. Rates of alcohol use vary with geographical location. The aim of this study was to examine trends in alcohol consumption among older adults in a geographically defined area in Norway, especially changing sex differences in drinking patterns over a 22-year period.

Changes in cytokines during treatment of elderly, hospitalized psychiatric patients - a naturalistic study.

Immunological abnormalities have been demonstrated in several psychiatric disorders. Predominantly, studies have focused on younger adults, and research on elderly psychiatric in-patients is scant. In this naturalistic study, we investigated changes in cytokine levels during the treatment of diagnostically unselected elderly psychiatric in-patients, and whether these changes could be related to clinical outcomes.

Cytokine profiles and diagnoses in elderly, hospitalized psychiatric patients.

Background: There is a paucity of studies on inflammatory markers in elderly psychiatric patients. Hence, our study was undertaken to investigate cytokines as biomarkers in diagnostically unselected elderly patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital.

Methods: Demographic data, clinical data and blood samples, including 27 cytokines, were collected from 98 patients above 60 years, consecutively admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Tromsø, Norway (69°N).

[Depression or Alzheimer-type dementia?].

Background: The prevalence of depression and Alzheimer-type dementia in the elderly will increase, they may have similar symptoms, making it difficult to distinguish between these two conditions, and both conditions may occur simultaneously in one and the same patient. This article provides an overview of symptoms and findings that may be important for distinguishing depression from Alzheimer-type dementia.

Method: The article is based on a structured search in PubMed of a discretionary selection of studies, as well as the authors' own clinical experience.

Perceived coercion among patients admitted to acute wards in Norway.

Several studies suggest that the patient's experience of being coerced, during the admission process to mental hospitals, does not necessarily correspond with their legal status. Rather, perceived coercion appears to be associated with having experienced force and/or threats (negative pressures), as well as feeling that their views were not taken into consideration in the admission process (process exclusion). We investigated perceived coercion, among patients admitted both voluntarily and involuntarily, to acute wards in Norway.