Prevalence, risk factors, and metabolic implications of alcohol use disorders among male workers in Hebei Province, China: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Background: Alcohol is a psychoactive substance that can lead to alcohol use disorders (AUDs), which encompass a spectrum of conditions including alcohol dependence and abuse, causing significant mental and physical health issues. Excessive drinking is linked to various diseases, such as liver damage, metabolic disorders, and mental health conditions, with notable gender differences in drinking patterns, particularly among workers. This study investigates the prevalence, risk factors, and metabolic implications associated with AUDs among male workers in China.

Method: Utilizing the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Disorders (SCID), we diagnosed alcohol dependence and abuse in a sample of 665 male workers, categorizing them into a non-problem drinking group (n = 339) and a problem drinking group (n = 326). We compared depressive and anxiety symptoms, as well as sleep quality between the two groups. Additionally, we assessed metabolic parameters including liver and kidney function, blood lipid profiles, blood pressure, and heart rate.

Result: Our findings indicate that the problem drinking group exhibited significantly higher rates of alcohol consumption, including years of drinking, frequency, and quantity of alcohol intake, as well as a higher smoking prevalence (P < 0.05). Notably, sleep disturbances were more prevalent in the problem drinking group compared to the non-problem drinking group (P < 0.05). Metabolic assessments revealed that levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), uric acid, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, fasting blood glucose, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and body mass index (BMI) were significantly elevated in the problem drinking group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Male workers with alcohol use disorders exhibit a significantly worse metabolic profile, placing them at increased risk for alcohol-related liver disease, cardiovascular events like hypertension and arrhythmias, and metabolic syndrome. Our findings also suggest that smoking history is a critical correlate of problem drinking. These results underscore the need for targeted screening and intervention programs in occupational settings.