Ad campaign highlights alcohol risks for older Iowans

As we get older, a glass of beer or wine affects our bodies differently than when we were in our 20s.

And if you’re drinking two, three or more drinks — watch out.

“It’s important to recognize older adults can feel the effects of alcohol more strongly,” said Dr. Robert Kruse, state medical director and division director of public health for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

Iowa HHS earlier this year launched a public service campaign to warn people over age 45 to watch the amount of alcohol they are consuming. The reason for the campaign is sobering. Alcohol-related deaths in Iowa have increased 45 percent since 2019, with half of those deaths being people over age 45.

“It's certainly alarming,” Kruse said. “Anytime we see deaths increase related to alcohol use we’re definitely concerned. That trend was not what we’ve seen in past years.”

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A study published in November in the Journal of the American Medical Association found excessive alcohol consumption accounted for 12.9 percent of deaths of 20- to 49-year-olds nationwide between 2015 and 2019. The rate was higher — between 19.7 percent and 21.7 — percent in the upper Midwest.

Deaths related to alcohol use jumped 25 percent nationwide between 2019 and 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic brought more isolation, anxiety and depression, according to a research letter published in JAMA in March 2022.

Alcohol-related deaths can be from alcohol poisoning and car crashes, but also long-term alcohol-related health problems, such as liver disease, heart disease and cancer.

“Alcohol deaths are really the outcome of harmful alcohol consumption, whether it’s a one-time occurrence or due to a lifetime of occurrences more chronically,” Kruse said.

“Just like a lot of legalized substances, people think it’s OK and health risks are diminished. It’s important to recognize there are health impacts and people need to be aware of those and understand the effects of those when they consume more than they should.”

Why are older people more vulnerable?

Older people are more at risk for alcohol-related deaths for a variety of reasons, including:

Alcohol “makes older people more likely to have falls or fractures or motor vehicle accidents,” Kruse said. “It also worsens many medical conditions common in older adults, such as high blood pressure or ulcers.”

Iowa’s mortality data show people who are white, non-Hispanic and male have the greatest risk within the older age groups, he said.

Campaign highlights Your Life Iowa resources

Iowa HHS launched its “As you age, think before you drink” campaign in June with radio and newspaper ads, including in The Gazette.

Radio ads from June 1 to present cost $995,000. Print ads from June 19 to Aug. 31 cost $719,787. June ads on television, online and social media cost $880,000. Iowa HHS paid for the campaign out of its Division of Behavioral Health Services budget with some help from a federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The goal is to help Iowans find Your Life Iowa, a 24/7 crisis line that provides resources for problem drinking, drugs, gambling, suicidal thoughts or mental health concerns. The service, which can be reached by phone, text or online, is free and confidential.

Comments: (319) 339-3157; erin.jordan@thegazette.com