Correlates of Drinking and Drug Use by Higher Education Faculty and Staff: Implications for Prevention

Abstract

The prevalence and frequency of drug and alcohol abuse among higher education faculty and staff is not known. Higher education is a cultural environment which, on the one hand, is stressful and, on the other, permits a high degree of autonomy. This relationship of stress and autonomy is predicted to produce drug and alcohol abuse. Information is gathered by anonymous, self-report questionnaires, on the frequency and prevalence of faculty and staff drug and alcohol use at a regional university. Responses show alcohol and drug use within the last year and month among four higher education occupational groups: faculty, administrators, clerical staff, and physical plant/custodial staff. While stress was found to be weakly correlated with some drug use in the last month, depression was consistently correlated with drug use and moderately correlated with suicidal thoughts and tendencies, as well as job dissatisfaction. Drug and alcohol abuse is a factor in behavioral problems that affect faculty/staff and can be addressed through Employee Assistance Programs.

Job demands, job resources and work engagement of academic staff in South African higher education institutions

“…However, it seems that individuals could experience work engagement despite high demands. For example, Watts et al (1991) reported that academics were very satisfied with their jobs -despite long working hours, work overload and a lack of support. Furthermore, Doyle and Hind (1998) found that despite long working hours and high levels of burnout amongst a sample of university lecturers, 40% of the respondents found their work intrinsically motivating, enjoyable and potentially rewarding.…”

Pressure Points: A review of research on stressors and strains in UK academics

“…It appears that, on average, academic staff are enthusiastic about their work and obtain a signi cant degree of satisfaction, enthusiasm and challenge from their jobs, as well as stressors and strains. Several studies illustrate this duality: for example, respondents to a survey of 850 university workers claimed they worked long hours, were overloaded with work and lacked support, but almost three-quarters claimed to be satis ed or very satis ed with their jobs-less than 7% expressed extreme dissatisfaction (Watts et al, 1991). Similarly, whilst Doyle & Hind (1998) found long working hours and high levels of burnout amongst a sample of university lecturers, 40% of respondents found their work intrinsically motivating, enjoyable, and potentially very rewarding.…”

Occupational Stress of Academic Staff in South African Higher Education Institutions

“…Blix et al, 1994;Doyle & Hind, 1998). Moreover, depression has been associated with suicidal thoughts and tendencies (Watts et al, 1991). In fact, an epidemiological study of suicide conducted by Kelly, Charlton, and Jenkins (1995) suggest that university academic staff are at around 50 percent greater risk than the average worker.…”