Interventions in Older Adults with Alcohol Consumption: A Systematic Review

Aims: To analyze and assess the scientific evidence regarding interventions for alcohol consumption in older adults.

Methodology: Integrative review of articles published in the period from 2012 to 2016 in the databases MEDLINE, CINHAL, LILACS, Academic Search Complete, with the descriptors adult elderly, intervention, alcohol, 25 publications were selected for critical analysis.

Results: The type of interventions designed for the elderly are cognitive-behavioral, educational modality, brief intervention, with the use of printed and technological material, the most used instruments are the CARET and AUDIT, the interventions showed effectiveness in reducing the alcohol consumption with a small effect size. The join effect measure cannot be calculated because the studies show different effect measures.

Conclusions: There are few intervention studies aimed at the elderly for the decrease in alcohol consumption, given the magnitude of the problem, it is suggested to carry out intervention studies, based on theory, with a medium to large effect size.