Employment Status, Depression, Drinking, and Alcohol Use Disorder in Puerto Rico

Abstract

Background To examine the association between employment status, depression, drinking, binge drinking, and DSM-5 alcohol use disorder in Puerto Rico. Methods Data are from a 2013-2014 household random sample of individuals 18-64 years of age in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Results Bivariate analyses showed that depression was 5 times higher among unemployed males than among those employed fulltime (21% versus 4%), and 2 times higher among unemployed females compared to those employed part-time or fulltime (18% versus 7% and 9%). Employment status was not associated with weekly volume of drinking, but non-participation in the workforce was protective against drinking (OR=2.17; 95CL: 1.03-4.57; p<.05) and binge drinking (OR=.62; 95CL=.39-.97; p<.05). This association could be due to the fact that those not in the work force may not be working due to sickness or disability. Male gender was a factor of risk for being a current drinker (OR=2; 95CL=1.53-2.6; p<.001) and binge drinking (OR=1.69; 95CL=1.29-2.2; p<.001). Male gender was protective against depression (OR=.32; 95CL=.14-.73; p<.05), but males employed only part-time were almost 5 times more likely than females employed fulltime to be depressed (OR=4.66; 95CL=1.25-17.38; p<.05). Conclusions Employment status in Puerto Rico is associated with depression and with current drinking, but not with other alcohol-related outcomes. Perhaps Puerto Rico is a “wet” environment, where drinking is already at a relatively high level that is not affected by employment status. Perhaps the chronic high rate of unemployment in the island have also created familial (e.g. support) and personal level accommodations (e.g., participation in the informal economy) that do not include increased drinking

Family cohesion and pride, drinking and alcohol use disorder in Puerto Rico

“…Respondents not in the workforce drank less than those who were employed fulltime, a finding reported in other analyses of this data set (24). This may be due to the composition of the group, which may be made up of women, older individuals and those who may not be able to work because of chronic medical conditions.…”

“…A more recent survey was conducted in 1998 and data were analyzed by Colon et al (23). The rate of past 12 month DSM-IV combined abuse and dependence was 4.1%, which is lower than the rate of DSM-5 AUD based on the survey under analysis here (men: 14%, women: 7%; both: 10%) and previously reported by Caetano et al (24). Colon et al's rate is also lower than the rate of DSM-IV abuse and dependence reported by Caetano et al (25) for U.S. Puerto Ricans in the HABLAS survey (men: 20.5%; women 7%) and the rate of 13.6% of DSM-5 AUD reported by Grant et al (26) for U.S. Hispanics.…”

“…Covariates in all multivariate analyses were gender, age, employment status, and religion. These were selected based on previous findings of analyses of this data set (see (24)). The logistic regression with DSM-5 AUD was run while controlling for the above sociodemographic covariates plus volume of drinking and binge drinking.…”

Influences of Economic, Social and Cultural Marginalization on the Association Between Alcohol Use and Sexual Risk Among Formerly Incarcerated Latino Men

“…(2016) study, there seems to be an interaction between gender and employment with respect to mental health outcomes. 37,38 Being male for Latinos seems to be a protective factor against major depression among Latinos, yet, employed part-time Latino men were almost 5 times more likely than women employed fulltime to be depressed. 37,38 This gender-employment interaction may have similar effects in the mental health of FILM given the challenges that represent having a criminal record for entering the workforce.…”

Commentary on Caetano, Vaeth, Mills, and Canino (2016): Employment Status, Depression, Drinking, and Alcohol-Use Disorders in Puerto Rico

“…Differences in alcohol‐related problems have also been reported in comparisons between Hispanics in border and nonborder areas in the United States (Vaeth et al., ). Most recently, Caetano and colleagues () conducted a study to examine the role of socioeconomic factors, specifically the role of employment status in depression, drinking behaviors, and alcohol‐related consequences among Puerto Ricans aged 18 to 64 living in Puerto Rico.…”