Alcohol Use Disorder in Menopausal / perimenopausal women

Key things to know What the evidence shows
How common is it? Not established menopause-specific
Is it more common among menopausal / perimenopausal women? Midlife drinking/AUD increasingly important; physiological vulnerability changes with age
Are menopausal / perimenopausal women at higher risk? Yes / clinically meaningful midlife context
How much higher is the risk? Not established AUD-specific
How often can it be missed? High
Does it show up differently among menopausal / perimenopausal women? Yes
How might it look different? Drinking for sleep, mood or vasomotor symptoms can become reinforcing; physiological alcohol tolerance changes with ageing
What commonly occurs alongside it? Depression; anxiety; sleep problems
What can it be confused with? Sleep/mood symptoms of menopause vs alcohol-related symptoms
Common screening tool AUDIT
Separate screening tool for menopausal / perimenopausal women None established
1 of 14