Employment status, gender and hazardous alcohol use: National Health Survey, 2013

Abstract

Unemployment is associated with binge drinking (BD) as a means to combat psychological suffering. Also, the context of employment, working conditions and occupational stress have been associated with the consumption of alcoholic beverages. This article examines the role of employment status and gender differences in BD in Brazilian adults at least 18 years of age. Logistic regression models were used to analyse data from 33,632 participants (54.5% women) in the National Health Survey (Pesquisa Nacional de Saude, PNS, 2013) who were part of the workforce and who answered questions about BD. The sample was stratified by gender, with each group being classified into two subgroups according to employment status (ES), namely, employed (workers paid in cash by one or more employers) and unemployed (people without work in the reference period of the PNS). The final model by gender was fit according to ES-related exposure and the explanatory variables, with only those significant at a 5% level remaining in the model. The prevalence of BD was 15.2%. A higher chance of BD was observed in the employed group compared to the unemployed group, and in men compared to women. Younger age, living without a partner, not practising physical activity and smoking were associated with the outcome, regardless of gender. For women, interactions with income affected the association between ES and the outcome. Gender differences and high prevalence and overlapping of harmful behaviours provide clues for the evaluation of the future needs of health services, as well as guidance for employment protection policies.