Occupational and nonoccupational correlates of alcohol consumption in urban transit operators

The influence of occupation and the worksite has emerged as an important area of study in research on alcohol consumption. Occupational and nonoccupational factors were studied in relation to alcohol consumption using data from a 1983-1985 cross-sectional study of transit operators.

A total of 1.853 operators underwent a medical examination for driver's license renewal (including information on age, ethnicity, gender, education). Of these operators, 1,448 completed a questionnaire about occupational (e.g., time of shift, job stressors) and nonoccupational (e.g., personality, life stressors) factors. From either the medical examination or the questionnaire, weekly alcohol consumption was available for 1,820 operators. Variables related to alcohol consumption in previous studies, or theoretically linked to consumption, were analyzed in relation to heavy ( > or = 15 drinks/week) and average weekly consumption.

Heavy and average consumption were both related to several nonoccupational variables, including demographic (age, ethnicity, gender, marital status), personality (depression, anger expression), and life stress variables (i.e., life events). Heavy and average consumption were also related to several occupational variables, including job history (number of years driving, specific worksite) and job stressors. Neither measure was related to subjective job content (job demand, decision latitude).

Variability in consumption by demographic factors among this population reflects that seen in society as a whole. However, occupational factors may influence consumption, since consumption was strongly related to (a) specific worksite and time of shift and (b) reported job stressors. Clarifying the exact influence of occupational and worksite factors on alcohol consumption will depend on the convergence of findings from different research designs (e.g., cross-sectional, longitudinal, ethnographic).