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In this study, researchers explored the relationship between alcohol use and life transitions among women aged 50 to 70 years in Australia and Denmark. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews of 49 women, with thematic analysis indicating that alcohol use is a normal and accepted activity among Australian and Danish women. Alcohol use was influenced by women's specific life transitions including their retirement status. Using alcohol as a crutch was not a legitimate story, but women found it acceptable to temporarily manage stress. The researchers provided insight to women's perceptions on drinking that may guide future international public health strategies for this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia and Denmark, women aged 50–70 years are more likely than younger women to consume alcohol at levels that exceed national low risk drinking guidelines. To explore and possibly help explain this sociocultural shift in patterns of alcohol use, this research investigated the social construction of alcohol use amongst 49 women (25 in Northern Denmark, 24 in Western Australia) aged 50–69 years. The women viewed drinking as normal and acceptable. While some women reported reducing their drinking due to health concerns, others neutralised alcohol‐related health risks through compensatory behaviours including exercise. Such constructions arguably serve to sustain at‐risk drinking amongst some women. Our research highlights that interventions to minimise alcohol‐related health risks amongst middle‐aged and young‐old women should acknowledge that women's social construction of their drinking practices may prioritise subjective experiences of "being in control" while drinking, over biomedical understandings of the health impacts of alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]