ABSTRACT Alcohol use among women has been increasing rapidly. As the social context of women has changed, and the number of working women has risen, the prevention of alcohol-related problems among them has become increasingly important for their lifelong health. This study identified factors related to drinking intention, as perceived by working women in Japan. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews. Participants were recruited using snowball sampling. Factors related to the intention to drink and those that discourage drinking as perceived by working women were investigated. Categories for each factor were generated using the content analysis method. Thirty-one working women participated in this study. Six categories of factors related to drinking intention as perceived by working women were generated, including ‘work-related stress coping’, and four categories of factors for abstaining from drinking were generated, including ‘having a role as a mother’. The study’s findings are significant for enhancing alcohol-related health literacy among working women. It is important to note that this study focused specifically on working women in Japan and did not include comparisons with men. Therefore, further research is needed to explore gender differences, multicultural perspectives, and a diverse range of occupations to build a more comprehensive body of evidence.
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