The Prevalence of Alcohol Drinking and Associated Factors in Police Officers in One Metropolitan Police Division
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Abstract
Objectives: To study the prevalence of alcohol drinking behavior among police officers in one metropolitan police division and to explore factors associated with problematic drinking behavior.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on police officers in one metropolitan police division. Total 339 sampled participants were recruited by convenience sampling. Data collection was carried out through the Google Forms platform from October 1st 2023 to April 30th 2024. The self-rated questionnaires included demographic data, drinking behavior, and The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used for data analysis.
Results: Most participants were male (94.7%) and with an average age of 40.4 years. The prevalence of alcohol drinking among police officers was 88.2%. The percentages of low-risk, hazardous, harmful, and high-risk alcohol drinking pattern were 45.7%, 31.6%, 8.3%, and 14.4%, respectively. The mean age of first exposure to alcohol was 20.5 years. The primary reasons for drinking were socializing and peer influence. The most popular type of alcohol was beer, and common drinking venues were their own homes and restaurants, mainly in the evening. Most of them also had a history of smoking. Factors associated with harmful and high-risk for dependence drinking behavior included having less than a bachelor’s degree, insufficient income for expenses, current smoking, and moderate-to-high perceived stress.
Conclusion: Police officers are professionals responsible for public safety and well-being. This study revealed that more than half of the police officers in a metropolitan division consume alcohol, primarily during social gatherings with colleagues after work. Factors associated with problematic alcohol consumption included below undergraduate degree , financial difficulties, smoking, and occupational stress due to excessive workload. Addressing these factors may help reduce the prevalence of alcohol dependency within this population.
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