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The expectation that substance abuse among older adults will double aligns with research indicating a significant rise in substance use within this demographic. Various factors contribute to this trend, including an increase in the population of older adults, changes in prescription practices, and a greater acceptance of substance use in society. Older adults today are more likely than previous generations to use substances, partly due to chronic pain management prescriptions leading to increased use of opioids and other medications.
Additionally, older adults may turn to substances as a way of coping with age-related challenges such as loneliness, loss of loved ones, and other emotional or psychological stresses. This multifaceted rise in substance abuse underscores the need for increased awareness and proactive measures to address and manage substance use in this population.
The projections do not support a decrease or stable rates, given the observed increase in substance use and abuse trends due to both biological and psychosocial factors. The option related to social factors hints at an important aspect of the issue, but it does not fully capture the anticipated quantitative change in substance abuse rates as indicated by research. Hence, the assertion that substance abuse will double is backed by contemporary studies and demographic trends up to that point in time.