Epidemiology of coca and alcohol use among high-altitude miners in Argentina

A medical survey of 107 high-altitude miners was conducted in Argentina in 1976-1977. Daily chewing of coca leaves was reported by 70 (65%) respondents. Another 15 (14%) used coca occasionally. Weekly alcohol drinking was reported by 36 (34%) respondents, and 14 (14%) drank occasionally. Thirty-five of the weekly drinkers were also daily users of coca. Habitual users did not differ from other workers in mean age or total number of years worked. Daily use of coca was significantly higher among miners with a heavy work load as compared with those having a moderate-to-light work load (unadjusted odds ratio [OR] 4.24); it was also higher among those who had worked only underground rather than always or ever aboveground (OR 7.25), among those working as drillers or cart pushers as opposed to other tasks (OR 6.56), and among Mestizos and Indians compared with whites (OR 3.33). Weekly alcohol use was significantly higher among miners with a heavy work load (OR 6.49), those always working underground (OR 5.57), and those working as drillers or cart pushers (OR 3.67). Adjusting for possible confounding effects of these parameters on each other, the significant associations with habituation were clearly work site, work load, and task.