Workplace alcohol and other drug policy and support services in the United States, 2015-2019

Despite their growing popularity, the extent and nature of workplace alcohol and other drug (AOD) policy and support services in the United States remain unclear. The present study examined the availability of AOD policies and support services in workplaces. Also, the associations between a combination of these workplace measures and the current AOD consumption (focusing on binge drinking, use of marijuana and other illicit drugs, and nonmedical use of prescription drugs) were assessed.

Pooled Data from the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were utilized to examine a nationally representative sample of 131,751 employed adults. First, the rates of those who reported having a written AOD policy at their workplaces among the total sample and subpopulations across socioeconomic status, and those who reported an employee assistance program or other counseling services for substance use problems were estimated. Then the associations between a combination of the two workplace measures and individuals' current AOD consumption were tested using multinomial logistic regression analyses.

Although 77.2% of employed individuals reported having a written AOD policy at their workplaces, only 50% of the sample had access to support services for substance use problems. The limited access to support services was most notable among traditionally disadvantaged groups (e.g., females, Hispanics, and individuals with limited English proficiency). The models suggest that having both a workplace AOD policy and support services was associated with significantly lower rates of marijuana and other illicit drug use compared to having neither of the two measures or only support services.

Regardless of workplace AOD policies, the limited availability of support services, especially for disadvantaged workers, raises concerns. While further investigation is needed to understand the effectiveness of the comprehensive prevention approaches at workplaces, it is also important to advocate for the potential benefits of having employee assistance or other services available along with AOD policies.