Health

Hidden Curse Of Older Women

June 3, 1998 / 10:39 PM EDT / AP

An alarming number of women over age 59 are addicted to psychoactive prescription drugs or alcohol, and only a few physicians are catching the early signs of abuse, according to a new study by Columbia University.

The 180-page report, being released Thursday by Columbia's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, said 2.8 million older women (11 percent) abuse or are addicted to psychoactive prescription drugs. About 1.8 million, or 7 percent of older women, abuse or are addicted to alcohol.

The two-year study also concluded that less than 1 percent of the women who need treatment for alcohol abuse receive it.

"In good health, these women can work, be supportive parents and loving grandparents and have two decades of independent living ahead of them," said Joseph A. Califano Jr., president of the Columbia substance abuse center. "Substance abuse and addiction steal millions of these years by condemning thousands of these women to disability and premature death."

As part of its study, the center reviewed prescriptions for psychoactive mood altering drugs given to 13,000 mature women over a six-month period.

The report concluded that half of the prescriptions for tranquilizers and sleeping pills should not have been given or should have been given for shorter periods of time. One in four women use at least one psychoactive prescription drug, according to the study.

The report also pointed to doctors not recognizing symptoms of abuse among their older female patients. Only one percent of primary care physicians considered a substance abuse diagnosis when presented with common symptoms of alcohol abuse. Instead, 80 percent diagnosed the symptoms as depression.

"What's inexcusable is that these tragedies are preventable," said Califano.

Former first lady Betty Ford joined Califano in calling the situation a "hidden" epidemic, with older women reluctant to come forward because of society's stigmas, and family members denying the signs of abuse.

"It is swept under the rug of denial and desperation of families and friends who can't accept the reality of a mother or aunt or sister who may be abusing alcohol or addicted to it or who simply don't know what to do about it," Mrs. Ford said.

The report suggested that physicians can spend as little as five minutes counseling patients deemed at risk to help prevent the problem. It also recommended increased training for physicians on how to recognize and address substance abuse.