Table 2 Prevalence of drinking patterns according to selected characteristics: Participants ≥60 years (n = 8,616) in the Tromsø survey (2015-16)

Overall prevalence

944 (11.1)

4,173 (55.0)

3,409 (45.0)

3,004 (39.9)

1,644 (22.1)

Sex

  Female

639 (14.6)^a

2,099 (55.9)^a

1,653 (44.1)^a

844 (22.7)^a

446 (12.1)^a

  Male

305 (7.4)^a

2,074 (54.2)^b

1,756 (45.8)^b

2,160 (56.8)^a

1,198 (31.9)^a

Age (years)

  60-69

368 (7.1)^a

2,296 (48.0)^a

2,484 (52.0)^a

2,192 (46.1)^a

1,245 (26.4)^a

  70–79

384 (14.5)^a

1,449 (64.2)^a

809 (35.8)^a

720 (32.2)^a

376 (17.1)^a

  ≥80

192 (26.1)^a

428 (78.7)^a

116 (21.3)^a

92 (17.3)^a

23 (4.5)^a

Educational level

  Elementary school

496 (16.4)^a

1,661 (65.7)^a

869 (34.3)^a

923 (36.9)^{a, b}

435 (17.7)^a

  High school

196 (8.9)^a

1,098 (54.8)^a

904 (45.2)^a

801 (40.3)^b

449 (22.7)^a

  College/university

193 (6.3)^a

1,287 (44.8)^a

1,587 (55.2)^a

1,220 (42.6)^a

731 (25.8)^a

Relationship status

  Living alone

332 (15.2)^a

1,095 (59.3)^a

753 (40.7)^a

653 (35.6)^a

381 (21.3)^a

  Living with a spouse/partner

509 (8.7)^a

2,843 (52.9)^a

2.527 (47.1)^a

2,227 (41.7)^a

1,207 (22.8)^b

Enough social support

  No

160 (14.2)^a

561 (58.2)^a

403 (41.8)^a

405 (42.3)^a

265 (28.3)^a

  Yes

733 (10.2)^a

3,475 (54.1)^a

2,950 (45.9)^a

2,544 (39.9)^b

1,347 (21.4)^a

Self-reported health status

  Bad or very bad

103 (22.5)^{a, b}

205 (57.7)^a

150 (42.3)^a

131 (37.6)^a

98 (28.8)^{a, b}

  Neither good nor bad

382 (14.5)^{a ,b}

1,342 (59.8)^b

903 (40.2)^b

862 (38.8)^b

496 (22.7)^a

  Good

377 (8.4)^a

2,206 (53.9)^{a, b}

1,890 (46.1)^b

1,649 (40.5)^c

891 (22.1)^b

  Excellent

62 (7.0)^b

373 (45.5)^{a, b, c}

446 (54.5)^{a, b, c}

340 (41.5)^d

150 (18.4)^{a, b}

Mental distress^h

  No

761 (10.3)^a

3,623 (54.5)^a

3,026 (45.5)^a

2,672 (40.5)^a

1,434 (21.6)^a

  Yes

72 (16.0)^a

186 (49.2)^a

192 (50.8)^a

147 (39.5)^b

138 (36.6)^a

Have used sleeping pills during last 4 weeks

  No

658 (9.5)^a

3,397 (54.3)^a

2,862 (45.7)^a

2,548 (40.9)^a

1,370 (22.3)^a

  Yes

171 (16.7)^a

453 (53.2)^b

399 (46.8)^b

279 (33.2)^a

196 (23.4)^b