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Substance use among older adults

Dr Stephen Bright

Dr Bright oversees the development and delivery of curriculum pertaining to the use of Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) in the context of society.

Background

Stephen has worked as a psychologist within the Mental Health & AOD field for the past 15 years. He is currently Senior Lecturer of Addiction at Edith Cowan University. Stephen is a strong advocate of harm reduction and an evidence-based approach to AOD legislation. He is also interested in the role of certain substances (entheogens) to facilitate spiritual experiences, and their role in psychotherapy.

His PhD related to the public perceptions and media portrayal of AOD use and the implications of this for drug-related harm, including the rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances. This has led to the development of a project that aims to make the Australian media more accountable when reporting on AOD issues: www.aodmediawatch.com.au

Stephen is a leading Australian voice on the role of drug policy on emerging drug trends such as synthetic cannabis and darkweb marketplaces.

For more information about Stephen visit his ECU staff profile page .

About this resource

Australia's population is ageing. By 2051 it is estimated that 25% of the population will be aged 65 years or older. It is often difficult to conceive that the older patient would be drinking excessively or using other drugs. The National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) 2016 found that:

  • The consumption of 11 or more standard drinks (very high risk) on one drinking occasion has declined among young people since 2010 (12–17 year olds and 18–24 year olds) but increased among the older age groups.
  • Between 2013 and 2016, people in their 50s and 60s both reported a significant increase in the proportion consuming 11 or more standard drinks on a single drinking occasion in the last year (from 9.1% to 11.9% and from 4.7% to 6.1% respectively).
  • Between 2001 and 2016, recent use of any illicit drug has nearly doubled among males in their 50s (from 8.1% to 15.0% in 2016) and males aged 60 or older (from 4.0% to 7.9%), while use among people aged 14–19 considerably decreased from 28% to 16% over the same period.

However, it is important to remember even low levels of alcohol and other drug use can be risky if there are co-morbid medical conditions, concomitant medication use and altered metabolism in the older adult.


WA Primary Health AlliancePrimary Health Network: Perth North, Perth South, Country WA

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