Universal alcohol prevention in the workplaces - does it matter?

Abstract

BackgroundHarmful alcohol consumption has significant negative implications for the workplace. The workplace offers a strategic opportunity for alcohol prevention due to the substantial time employees spend at work.ObjectiveUtilizing a social-ecological framework, this study aims to investigate whether universal alcohol prevention strategies in the workplace are associated with employees' alcohol-related perceptions or behaviorsMethodsA cross-sectional survey study was conducted in December 2019 using a web-based questionnaire distributed through the Laboratory of Opinion Research Citizen Panel. Participants included 2771 employed adults aged 16-80 in Sweden. Multiple- and logistic regressions were used to investigate significant explanatory factors.ResultsHaving alcohol procedures, as well as having received information from a supervisor regarding how to act on concerns, were associated with a higher probability of being comfortable informing a supervisor of concerns. A restrictive alcohol culture was associated with lower threshold for perceived risk-free alcohol consumption. Having an alcohol policy only was not associated with any of the examined alcohol-related perceptions or behaviors when controlling for other factors.ConclusionsAlcohol preventive measures can significantly influence employee perceptions of responsibility to act on concerns, and the feeling of being comfortable doing so. The findings support the integration of alcohol preventive measures at multiple levels within the workplace, as well as having a restrictive alcohol culture.