Treatment Admissions Way Up for Older Americans
The excesses of the Baby Boomer generation are starting to show up at the door of U.S. treatment programs, which saw admissions of patients ages 50 and older almost double between 1992 and 2008.
Category results for "Elderly"
HHS Seeks Comments on Plan to Address Multiple Chronic Health Problems
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has unveiled a draft strategic framework for improving the health of people with multiple co-occurring long-term or chronic health conditions (e.g., health disease, diabetes, other behavioral health disorders) and is soliciting comments on the plan. Comments on the plan from the HHS Interagency Workgroup on Multiple Chronic Conditions can be submitted through June 16.
One in Three Elderly Drinkers Face High Risk of Harm, Study Finds
One-third of American drinkers over age 60 consume excessive amounts of alcohol, are at risk of dangerous interactions between alcohol and medications, or have illnesses that can be exacerbated by drinking, according to researchers.
Health Benefits from Smoking Bans Greater for Older Nonsmokers
Past research has shown a reduction in heart attacks after communities ban indoor smoking, and a new study finds that limiting exposure to indoor tobacco smoke may be especially beneficial for men and women ages 55-74.
Arterial Damage Reversed When Smokers Quit
Smokers get a variety of benefits when they quit, including improved arterial health and better levels of good cholesterol, even though they tend to gain some weight, researchers say. The Associated Press reported March 15 that a study by James…
Inhalants are Drug of Choice in Early Adolescence, Report Says
A new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) says that inhalants trail only alcohol among the substances used by 12-year-olds to get high, Reuters reported March 11. In fact, more 12-year-olds — 7 percent of…
Indoor Smoking Ban Signed into Law in Kansas
A bill banning smoking in indoor public spaces in Kansas has been signed into law by Gov. Mark Parkinson, the Associated Press reported March 12. The measure passed with bipartisan support in the state legislature. It will take effect on…
Drug Reformers Look to Baby Boomers for Support
Growing numbers of older Americans are using illicit drugs, and groups seeking to reform U.S. drug policies see aging Baby Boomers as potent allies.
Smoking Raises Risk of Alzheimer's, Study Finds in Refuting Industry-Affiliated Research
Smoking cigarettes is a significant risk factor for development of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study.
Peer Influence, Other Social Factors Can Affect Drinking Among Older Adults
As with underage drinking, social factors can help predict excessive drinking among older adults, according to new research from Rudolf H. Moos of the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Palo Alto, Calif.
