Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
Introduction: Older adults exhibit unique risks associated with poor mental health and substance use. The Beyond 50 study is a longitudinal cohort investigating the determinants of healthy ageing, including relationships between physical and psychosocial health and substance use. We aim to characterise the Beyond 50 cohort and explore patterns of physical and psychosocial health and substance use. Methods: Baseline data collection was completed between September 2023 and August 2024. Annual follow-up data collection commenced in September 2024. Descriptive statistics will be used to characterise the cohort at the time of baseline survey completion. Results: Of the 1059 participants, the mean age was 61 years (standard deviation 0.2 years) and 46.8% were female. Just over half (52.4%, n = 555) received a positive screen for potentially hazardous alcohol consumption (past 12-month use), 8.7% (n = 92) reported recent tobacco use, 3.7% (n = 39) reported recent cannabis use and 5.5% (n = 58) reported other nonmedical substance use. Twelve percent (n = 134) screened positive for the symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety, 16.4% (n = 174) screened positive for the symptoms of moderate to severe depression, 15.7% (n = 166) were moderately to severely lonely and 22.6% (n = 239) reported being dissatisfied with their social relationships. Discussion and Conclusion: The Beyond 50 cohort displays high rates of alcohol use, with levels of social isolation, loneliness, anxiety and depression comparable to the broader Victoria population. This lends to the cohort's ability to provide further insight into factors that affect healthy ageing and will allow for detailed analysis into the impacts of various physical and psychosocial factors on overall health and wellbeing.
Keywords
Australia, healthy ageing, mental health, social health, substance use
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
9-1-2026
Article Number
e70228
E-ISSN
14653362
ISSN
09595236
Volume
45
Issue
6
PubMed ID
42571874
Publication Title
Drug and Alcohol Review
Publisher
Wiley
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
Funding Information
Funding was received through the Community Health and Hospitals Program Grant from the Department of Health and Aged Care, Commonwealth Government of Australia, for the National Centre for Healthy Ageing (Living Labs Round 3) and through the Ian Potter Foundation (Grant #31111278). S.N. and L.P. are the recipients of NHMRC Investigator Research Fellowships #2025894 and #2016909. R.L. is the recipient of PhD Scholarships from Monash University and the Monash Addiction Research Centre.
Funding received from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
2025894, 2016909
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Laing, R., Lam, T., Rowland, B., Dietze, P., Lalor, A., Hill, K. D., Alfrey, L., Andrew, N. E., Arunogiri, S., Bright, S., Picco, L., & Nielsen, S. (2026). Characterising the Beyond 50 cohort: Preliminary exploration of physical and psychosocial health factors and substance use among a cohort of community dwelling adults aged 50–70 years. Drug and Alcohol Review, 45(6), e70228 https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.70228