Australian Construction Industry Apprentices’ Alcohol Use and its Relation to their Experiences of Alcohol-Related Harm

Abstract

This study reports on the prevalence of harmful alcohol use in a sample of male Australian construction industry apprentices, and also discusses alcohol-related harms. Data was gathered from 108 male construction industry apprentices (predominantly 15-25 years of age). Findings indicate that approximately two thirds (65.7%) of apprentices had an AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) score over 8, which place them in a 'harmful' alcohol consumption category. There was a positive correlation between 'harmful' alcohol consumption and numerous alcohol-related behavioral harms. Thus, what is clear is that the greater apprentices' score on the AUDIT test (which measures their harmful alcohol consumption), the more likely it is that they will experience alcohol-related behavioral harms, including missing classes, drunk driving, risky sex, memory loss, poor physical health, expressing verbal, physical and racial abuse, physical injuries, property damage, poly-substance use, relationship difficulties, financial difficulties and dangerous behavior. We can conclude that this is a high risk group for alcohol-related harms, and as such the paper makes suggestions for implementing focused preventive strategies in apprentices training environments and workplaces.

Construction workers' alcohol use, knowledge, perceptions of risk and workplace norms

“…While risky drinking in the construction industry is prevalent, specific drivers of risky alcohol consumption are less evident. Construction work is generally demanding, dangerous and hectic [18,23,26], with taxing workplace events such as industrial disputes and downsizing commonplace [27]. Such stressful working conditions may facilitate alcohol and/or drug use as forms of stress relief [28,29].…”