Alcohol Drinking of Construction Workers in Bangkok Metropolis

Abstract

Objective :

To study alcohol drinking, problem drinking or alcohol dependence, and factors associated with alcohol drinking/dependence.

Methods :

Demographic and alcohol drinking data were collected from 442 construction-workers in Bangkok by using general personal questionnaire and alcohol use questionnaire between June to October 2012. In addition, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; AUDIT) was used to screen for hazardous drinking and alcohol dependence. Descriptive statistics, including percentage , mean and standard deviation were used to describe demographic and alcohol drinking data. Associations between hazardous alcohol drinking or alcohol dependence and demographic and occupation data were analyzed by using chi-square test. Variables found to be related with hazardous alcohol drinking or dependence were then subjected to be analyzed by multiple regression analysis.

Results

: Most sample were males, married, from North-Eastern part of Thailand, and had junior high school as the highest education level. Averaged age and monthly income of the sample were 30 years and 10,000 baht respectively. Almost half of the sample worked as construction workers for more than two years. Factors associated with problem drinking or alcohol dependence were male (p<0.001), marital status (p=0.002), income (p=0.004), having other occupations before working as construction workers (p<0.001), duration of working as construction workers (p<0.001) type of construction work (p=0.03), age of alcohol onset (p<0.001), social as a reason to drink (p<0.001) drinking duration (p<0.001), drink before or during work (p=0.05), and thinking that alcohol could solve problems (p<0.001). When analyzed by regression analysis, being male, being widow/divorced/separated status, having low income, having other occupations before working as construction workers and thinking that alcohol could solve problems were still associated with problem drinking or alcohol dependence. In contrast, being single and working as carpenter or plastererin the construction site were protective factors for having problem drinking or alcohol dependence. Conclusion : Most of the construction workers had problem drinking or alcohol dependence. Risk factors found in this study might be used to detect construction workers at risk for alcohol dependence. Adjusting attitude toward alcohol drinking might help to prevent or reduce rate of alcohol dependences.