A workplace intervention to reduce alcohol and drug consumption: a nonrandomized single-group study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Workplace alcohol and drug consumption negatively impacts industrial societies, leading to accidents, absenteeism, and reduced productivity.
• Service industry workers are a key demographic for targeted interventions due to the prevalence of substance use.
• Reducing substance use in leisure time can improve overall worker health habits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To decrease alcohol and drug consumption among service industry workers.
• To enhance healthy habits by reducing substance use during leisure time.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a workplace health surveillance program.

Main Methods:

• A nonrandomized, single-group study involving 12 work centers and 1103 participants.
• Intervention included health promotion (awareness training, risk assessment interviews) and secondary prevention.
• Monitoring utilized urine tests, Alcotest, and saliva exams to detect alcohol and drug use.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of risky alcohol consumption decreased by 4.1% (from 14.7% to 10.6%) within the first year.
• This reduction in risky alcohol consumption was sustained over a 3-year follow-up period.
• All 1103 participants received 5 hours of awareness training, with additional prevention for those identified with risky consumption.

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive worker health surveillance programs, including stakeholder involvement and monitoring, can improve program compliance.
• Such programs facilitate positive behavior change regarding alcohol and drug consumption in the workplace.
• Workplace interventions are effective in reducing risky substance use and promoting healthier habits.