The New England ATTC in partnership with RICARES is providing a basic/universal TA session titled “Hospitalizations for Alcohol and Opioid Use Disorders in Older Adults: Trends, Comorbidities, and Differences by Gender, Race, and Ethnicity” on 2/22/24 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. Increasing numbers of adults aged 65+ years are being diagnosed with alcohol and opioid use disorders. Researchers understand relatively little about older people who are hospitalized for these conditions. Researchers in this study looked at Medicare claims data from 2007-2014 for older adults with a diagnosis of alcohol or opioid use disorder and looked at trends around hospitalizations over time, as well as trends by diagnosis, race, and gender. Study investigators found that more and more adults aged 65 years and older have been treated in hospitals for alcohol and opioid use disorders over the study period and that among the people who were treated in hospital, certain race and gender groups were more likely than others to be hospitalized. Investigators concluded that more research on these disparities is needed and that interventions and treatments are needed to help older adults who use substances. 

Article link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/11782218221116733