Abstract
BackgroundThe present study sought to investigate the associations between workplace social capital and hazardous drinking (HD) among Chinese rural-urban migrant workers (RUMW).MethodsA cross sectional study with a multi-stage stratified sampling procedure was conducted in Shanghai during July 2012 to January 2013. In total, 5,318 RUMWs from 77 workplaces were involved. Work-place social capital was assessed using a validated and psychometrically tested eight-item measure. The Chinese version of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess hazardous drinking. Control variables included gender, age, marital status, education level, salary, and current smoking. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted to test whether individual- and workplace-level social capital was associated with hazardous drinking.ResultsOverall, the prevalence of HD was 10.6%. After controlling for individual-level socio-demographic and lifestyle variables, compared to workers in the highest quartile of individual-level social capital, the odds of HD for workers in the three bottom quartiles were 1.13(95%CI: 1.04–1.23), 1.17(95%CI: 1.05–1.56) and 1.26(95%CI: 1.13–1.72), respectively. However, contrary to hypothesis, there was no relationship between workplace-level social capital and hazardous drinking.ConclusionsHigher individual-level social capital may protect against HD among Chinese RUMWs. Interventions to build individual social capital among RUMWs in China may help reduce HD among this population.
Highlights
Excess alcohol consumption is the world’s third largest risk factor for disease and disability; almost 4% of all deaths worldwide are attributed to alcohol [1]
The rates of Hazardous drinking (HD) among rural-urban migrant workers (RUMW) differed by education level: those with the least education had the lowest rate (8.2%) whereas those with senior high school education had the highest rate of HD (13.1%)
Hazardous drinking among RUMWs significantly varied by salary level and by individual-level social capital social capital: the prevalence of HD ascended in conjunction with greater salary and declined in conjunction with greater individual perceptions of social capital
Summary
Excess alcohol consumption is the world’s third largest risk factor for disease and disability; almost 4% of all deaths worldwide are attributed to alcohol [1]. Some studies conducted in rural China have generally found a positive association between social capital and positive health [16,17,18]. A study of Chinese offshore oil workers found that current drinking was negatively related to emotional support from friends [19]. The emerging literature suggests social capital may convey protective health benefits, including lower risk for hazardous dinking. The present study sought to investigate the associations between workplace social capital and hazardous drinking (HD) among Chinese rural-urban migrant workers (RUMW). Multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted to test whether individual- and workplace-level social capital was associated with hazardous drinking. Contrary to hypothesis, there was no relationship between workplace-level social capital and hazardous drinking. Interventions to build individual social capital among RUMWs in China may help reduce HD among this population
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