Changes in socioeconomic differences in drinking patterns before and after retirement - a 22-year follow-up study

BackgroundPopulation is rapidly ageing globally, and alcohol consumption among older adults has increased in recent years. Alcohol consumption is known to be socioeconomically patterned, but little is known about how these socioeconomic differences evolve as individuals age and over the transition into statutory retirement. ObjectiveWe aimed to examine changes in socioeconomic differences in drinking patterns during a 22-year follow-up among retiring employees. MethodsWe analyzed changes in drinking patterns among a cohort of ageing employees using data from the Helsinki Health Study surveying the aging City of Helsinki employees. Data were collected in five phases between 2000 and 2022. All participants were 40-60-year-old in Phase 1 and retired during the follow-up. The total number of participants was 4889. Non-drinking, binge drinking and average weekly units were used as measures for alcohol consumption. We used occupational class as our indicator of socioeconomic position and evaluated changes in alcohol consumption using generalized linear mixed effect models (GLMM). Age and gender were added as covariates. ResultsThe higher class drunk more but the lower class were more likely to be binge drinkers or non-drinkers. During ageing, alcohol consumption by weekly doses and binge drinking decreased, and non-drinking became more common in all socioeconomic groups. The socioeconomic differences persisted over the follow-up, with little change over retirement transition. ConclusionsAlcohol drinking declined, and non-drinking became more common, with socioeconomic differences in midlife persisting in older adulthood and over retirement transition.