Binge Drinking by Occupation Groups among Currently Employed U.S. Adults in 32 States, 2013–2016

Abstract

Background

Excessive alcohol use, including binge drinking (i.e., ≥5 drinks (males); ≥4 drinks (females), per occasion during the past 30 days), is associated with work-related injuries, absenteeism, and lost productivity. Binge drinking varies by sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age, sex, income). However, information on binge drinking by occupation is limited. Purpose: This study examined binge drinking prevalence, frequency, intensity, and total binge drinks per binge drinker by sociodemographic characteristics and occupation. Methods: Data were analyzed from 358,355 currently employed U.S. adults who resided in the 32 states that administered the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System industry and occupation questions during 2013–2016. Binge drinking was evaluated using weighted and adjusted prevalence models. Results: Among currently employed adults in the 32 states, 20.8% reported binge drinking, with an average of nearly 49 times per year and an average intensity of 7.4 drinks per binge episode, resulting in 478 total binge drinks per binge drinker. The adjusted binge drinking prevalence ranged from 15.9% among community and social services workers to 26.3% among construction and extraction workers. The total annual binge drinks per binge drinker ranged from 207 drinks among community and social services workers to 749 drinks among construction and extraction workers. Conclusions: One in five employed adults binge drink, and binge drinking varied across occupation groups. Widespread use of effective community-based strategies for preventing excessive alcohol use (e.g., regulating alcohol outlet density), as well as interventions tailored to specific occupation groups, and could reduce binge drinking and improve occupational safety and health.

Keywords:

• Binge drinking
• occupation
• alcohol use
• binge drinking frequency
• binge drinking intensity
• occupational safety and health

Acknowledgements

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services. The authors would like to thank Jan Birdsey, Jeff Purdin, Pam Schumacher, Matt Hirst, and Susan Burton for preparing the BRFSS industry and occupation module data for analyses, and Marie Haring Sweeney and Robert Brewer for reviewing earlier drafts of the manuscript. We would also like to thank the 32 BRFSS state coordinators for providing their respective state’s industry and occupation data.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.