Similarly, women aged 65 and over consumed 1.9 drinks per week, whereas men in the same age group reported consuming 5.0 drinks per week. The results of the 1989 National Alcohol and Other Drugs Survey suggest that there is a negative relationship between age and alcohol consumption. The relatively low rate of alcohol use among older people may be attributable to a number of factors. Finally, it should be noted that some researchers advise caution when considering survey data relating to the alcohol consumption of older people. Self-reports of drinking behaviour require accurate recent memory of past consumption and mental averaging ability, both of which may be impaired in elderly persons.
Gender differences are more pronounced in the elderly.
Indeed, results from the 1989 National Alcohol and Other Drugs Survey indicate that older Canadians are much more likely than younger people to report being former smokers. A second explanation is that the negative effects of smoking on health are so strong that signifIcant numbers of smokers die before they reach old age. If the National Alcohol and Other Drugs Survey had included institutionalized seniors, it is quite conceivable that higher rates of prescription drug use would have been found, as that subpopulation typically receives greater medical care. The results of the 1989 National Alcohol and Other Drugs Survey indicate that age and sex are strong predictors of licit drug use. However, unlike the use of alcohol and tobacco, the use of licit substances appears to be more common among older than younger individuals and among women than men.