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Published on: April 28, 2022
Alcohol misuse in the Royal Navy.
Arthur Henderson1, Victoria Langston, Neil Greenberg
1King's Centre for Military Health Research, Academic Centre for Defence Mental Health, King's College London, Weston Education Centre, Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RJ, UK. sososanta@aol.com
Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England)
|December 17, 2008
Summary
Royal Navy personnel show significantly higher rates of hazardous and binge alcohol consumption compared to civilians. This excessive drinking poses risks to occupational efficiency and long-term health.
Area of Science:
- Military Medicine
- Public Health
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Military personnel may consume substantial alcohol, leading to medical and occupational issues.
- Understanding alcohol consumption patterns in military populations is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare alcohol consumption and misuse in the Royal Navy (RN) with civilian populations.
- To identify the prevalence of hazardous, heavy, and binge drinking within the RN.
Main Methods:
- Administered the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) to 1333 male RN personnel.
- Defined heavy drinking (>21 units/week), very heavy drinking (>42 units/week), and binge drinking (>8 units/session).
- Assessed psychological health using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-12 and PCL-C.
Main Results:
- 92% of RN personnel were hazardous drinkers; 40% were heavy drinkers, and 27% very heavy drinkers.
- 48% reported weekly binge drinking, and 15% were problem drinkers.
- Hazardous drinking correlated with younger age, lower rank, and poorer psychological health scores.
Conclusions:
- Excessive alcohol consumption, particularly binge drinking, is more prevalent in the RN than the general population.
- High alcohol intake likely impairs occupational efficiency and poses short- and long-term health risks.
- Interventions are needed to reduce excessive alcohol consumption in the RN to mitigate health consequences.
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