Local Construction Employment and Binge Drinking Among US Adults in Their Early 30s: Insights From a Path Analysis

Construction workers face elevated risks of alcohol misuse-especially binge drinking-due to physically demanding labor, long hours, and limited paid vacation. At the same time, emerging evidence suggests that a larger local construction sector may have protective community-level effects on alcohol and other drug outcomes. This study examines how both county-level construction job share and individual employment in construction relate to residents' binge-drinking behaviors, incorporating individual and work-related mediators.

Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, linked with county-level job statistics, we applied generalized structural equation modeling to assess associations between local construction job share and binge drinking among adults in their early 30s. Mediators included employment status, work schedule, precarious employment conditions, and psychological distress.

Living in counties with a larger construction sector increased the likelihood of working in frontline construction occupations, which was associated with more demanding work schedules. Demanding work schedule and psychological distress were positively associated with binge drinking. However, employment in construction also predicted lower precarious employment conditions and psychological distress. Notably, greater local construction job share was directly associated with lower odds and frequency of binge drinking, suggesting a protective ecological effect.

Findings highlight the importance of addressing demanding work hours and limited vacation-key risk factors for alcohol misuse. Although a strong construction economy may offer community-level protective effects, targeted interventions remain essential to mitigate alcohol-related risks within this high-risk occupational group.