Leopoldo K, Castaldelli-Maia JM. Empowering older adults: Enhancing addiction literacy to address unique vulnerabilities. World J Psychiatry 2025; 15(7): 104254 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i7.104254]
Corresponding Author of This Article
João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Instituto Perdizes (IPER), Hospital das Clinicas, Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, R. Cotoxó, 1142 - Pompeia, São Paulo, 05021001, Brazil. jmcmaia2@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Psychiatry
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Psychiatry. Jul 19, 2025; 15(7): 104254 Published online Jul 19, 2025. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i7.104254
Empowering older adults: Enhancing addiction literacy to address unique vulnerabilities
Kae Leopoldo, João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia
Kae Leopoldo, João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia, Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo 01246903, Brazil
Kae Leopoldo, Department of Experimental Psychology, Psychology Institute, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo 01246903, Brazil
João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia, Instituto Perdizes (IPER), Hospital das Clinicas, Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, 05021001, Brazil
Author contributions: Leopoldo K and Castaldelli-Maia JM contributed to conceptualization, writing, reviewing and editing; Leopoldo K and Castaldelli-Maia JM have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Supported by FAPESP and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, No. 2024/13209-0.
Conflict-of-interest statement: There is no conflict of interest associated with the senior author and coauthors who contributed to this manuscript.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Instituto Perdizes (IPER), Hospital das Clinicas, Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, R. Cotoxó, 1142 - Pompeia, São Paulo, 05021001, Brazil. jmcmaia2@gmail.com
Received: December 16, 2024 Revised: March 27, 2025 Accepted: April 10, 2025 Published online: July 19, 2025 Processing time: 207 Days and 11.5 Hours
Abstract
Addiction literacy equips older adults with the knowledge to navigate substance use risks amid unique challenges like polypharmacy and social isolation. With rising trends in cannabis use among this group, targeted education can promote safe practices and reduce preventable harms. By fostering open conversations and integrating addiction literacy into healthcare, providers can support informed decision-making.
Core Tip: Addiction literacy equips older adults with the knowledge to navigate substance use risks amid unique challenges like polypharmacy and social isolation. With rising trends in cannabis use among this group, targeted education can promote safe practices and reduce preventable harms. By fostering open conversations and integrating addiction literacy into healthcare, providers can support informed decision-making.
