The Relationship between Marital Status and Problematic Drinking among Korean Older Adults: The Moderating Role of Self-Esteem

The present study examined the relationship between marital status and problematic drinking and the moderating effect of self-esteem among Korean older adults. The samples were drawn from the 2019 Korean Welfare Panel Study, and we analyzed a total of 5,892 adults aged 60 or older based on marital status, living with their partner, widowed, divorced people, and separated. The hierarchical regression was used to analyze whether the relationship between marital status and alcohol consumption among older adults varied by the level of self-esteem. The results were shown that demographic and health-related factors were associated with unmarried status and problematic drinking, but more interaction effect of self-esteem on the married status. An additional analysis was conducted by comparing living with partners and each unit of unmarried status, widowed, divorced people, and separated to determine which group would have more problematic drinking. Older people who were widowed had problematic drinking, but there was an interaction effect of the self-esteem on people who are in married status. Divorced people were significantly consumed more alcohol than the participants who live with their partners, and it varied by their self-esteem. The divorced people also consumed more alcohol than the widowed, and it also changed depending on their self-esteem. Finding from this study highlight the significant role of transition in marital status as people get older and each one's level of self-esteem to reduce alcohol consumption, which could be related to alcohol abuse. Future implications were discussed to improve older adults' quality of life by reducing alcohol consumption and giving support.