In this episode I am talking to Dr Bethany Bareham who is a research associate at the Population Health Sciences Institute at Newcastle University and she is funded by the School of Primary Care Research postdoctoral launching fellowship.

The title of her paper is: Managing older people’s perceptions of alcohol-related risk: a qualitative exploration in Northern English primary care

Read the paper: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp20X713405

Different types of information and experiences affect older people’s perceptions of alcohol's effects and their decisions for alcohol use. This study suggests that older people may struggle to recognise risks associated with drinking, unless ill health or screening results indicate that they may be experiencing alcohol-related harm. Older people's perceptions that their drinking is ‘sensible’, or where their health has become difficult for them to manage, are challenges to be navigated in supporting healthier decisions. Primary care practitioners can help older people to recognise individual risks and the potential benefits of making healthier drinking decisions to maintain their quality of life.