How life changes and surroundings affect drinking in older adults
Official title: Transitions and Alcohol Use in the Later Lifespan: Environmental and Individual-level Influences
Funded at Pacific Institute for Res and Evaluation · NIH-11243514 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looking at how life events and living conditions relate to alcohol use in adults aged 60–85 in California.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pacific Institute for Res and Evaluation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Beltsville, United States) |
| Project start | September 29, 1983 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $252,704 |
| NIH project number | 5P60AA006282-44 |
| Project ID | NIH-11243514 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults aged 60–85 living in California who drink alcohol or are concerned about changes in their drinking.
✕Less likely to help
Younger adults under 60, people living outside California, or those who never drink are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
This project follows adults aged 60–85 in California with three yearly surveys to track how drinking changes over time. Questions cover health, income, living situation, routine activities, and places where alcohol is available or consumed. Researchers will report how much and how often people drink, which situations lead to more drinking, and whether life changes cause increases or decreases in alcohol use. The findings are intended to help older adults, doctors, and managers of senior venues make safer choices around alcohol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help clinicians and community programs prevent alcohol-related harm and tailor advice for older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Long-term surveys have revealed drinking trends before, but few studies have tracked older adults with repeated yearly surveys, so this approach adds valuable long-term data.
Where this research is happening
-
Pacific Institute for Res and Evaluation
Beltsville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Saltz, Robert F. — Pacific Institute for Res and Evaluation
- Study coordinator: Saltz, Robert F.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.