Original scientific paper
EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION VS. WORK ABILITY IN MEN
Edisa Ercegović
; Ordinacija medicine rada Splitsko-dalmatinske županije, Kaštel Sućura, Hrvatska
Milan Milošević
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Medicinski fakultet, Škola narod. zdravlja "A. Štampar", Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
The objective was to assess the effects of excessive alcohol consumption on the work ability of employees at workplaces with special work conditions.
The study was conducted from November to the end of December 2009. Employees between the ages of 18 and 65 were included, a total of 214 subjects. In testing alcohol consumption habits, a combination of CAGE and AUDIT was used, with quantification of consumption frequency for different types of alcohol during the working week, after work and at weekends. The socio-demographic questions included age, sex, work place, marital status, education, occupation, years of service, shift work, weekend work and overtime.
The quantification of different alcoholic drinks was done by establishing the amount of consumed alcohol corresponding to 1 standard measure (10g) : 10g pure alcohol, i.e. for 0.33 l beer, 0.2 l wine and 0.033 l brandy (=standard drink). The subjects were asked to state how many types of drinks they consumed during working hours, after working hours (during working week), and at weekends. To assess the work ability we used the Work Ability Index – WAI, designed by the Finland Institute for Occupational Medicine. All WAI values less than 37 indicate reduced work ability.
Significant differences in the amount of consumed alcoholic drinks were found in subjects with good and poor work abilities. Poor work ability is attributed to drinking outside working hours (P=0.002, poor work ability employees drink almost twice as much as good ability group outside working hours), to the total consumed alcohol in the last week (P=0.012), and to the total sum of AUDIT (P=0.002) and CAGE (P=0.001).
The more alcohol-prone group exhibited poorer work ability. Despite an insignificant difference in drinking at work, the chief focus should be on drafting an intervention plan for the prevention of alcohol consumption outside working hours during the working week.
Keywords
alcoholism; work ability; men; special work conditions
Hrčak ID:
83862
URI
Publication date:
3.7.2012.
Visits: 4.101 *