Korean J Occup Environ Med.  2012 Jun;24(2):124-132.

The Problem Drinking and Related Factors in Female Firefighters

• Yoo SW
• Kim KS
• Park CY
• Kim MG

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted to investigate problem drinking and analyze factors associated with alcohol use among female firefighters, as well as to provide useful data for management of alcohol use by female firefighters.
METHODS
The study includeed 1,587 female firefighters from throught Koea. Data were collected from June to July in 2008 using self-administered questionnaires including a general questionnaire, work related questionnaire, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the Korean Occupational Stress Scale Short Form (KOSS-26), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD). Among 1,263 female firefighters (75.6%) surveyed, the results of 1,084 qualified questionnaires (70.5%) were analyzed using the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and multiple logistic regression.
RESULTS
The prevalence of problem drinking (AUDIT score > or =8) in female firefighters was 12.5%. Multiple logistic analysis showed that being single, smoking and depression were correlated with problem drinking. Single female firefighter, present smokers and individuals positive for symptoms of depression had OR values of 2.11, 17.58 and 1.76, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Three factors were found to influnce the occurrence of problem drinking. Accordingly, smoking related education, counseling to cope effectively with depression and health promotion programs that consider psychological effects of job stress are needed to reduce work related factors that lead to problem drinking by female firefighters.

Keyword

Female firefighters; AUDIT score; Drinking behavior; Job stress; Depressive symptoms

MeSH Terms

Counseling
Depression
Drinking
Drinking Behavior
Epidemiologic Studies
Female
Firefighters
Health Promotion
Humans
Phosphatidylethanolamines
Prevalence
Questionnaires
Smoke
Smoking
Phosphatidylethanolamines
Smoke

Reference

1. Yoo OR. Economic development and economic position of women's labor. J Asian Women. 2004. 43:237–267.

2. Fire administrative data and statistics 2008(translated by Yoo SW). National Emergency Management Agency. cited 29 April 2011. Available: http://www.nema.go.kr/nema_cms_iba/show_nema/board/board9s/view.jsp.

3. Kim GS, Kim DS, Won YL, Lee MY. Assessment of health care status and health effect in firefighters/119 emergency rescuers. 2008. Incheon, Korea: OSHRI, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency;7–22. (Korean).

4. Bogucki S, Rabinowitz PM. Rosenstock L, Cullen MR, Brodkin CA, Redlich CA, editors. Occupational health of police and firefighters. Textbook of Clinical Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2005. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders Pub;272–274.

5. Guidotti TL. Human factors in firefighting: ergonomic-, cardiopulmonary-, and psychogenic stress-related issues. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1992. 64:1–12.

6. Saijo Y, Ueno T, Hashimoto Y. Twenty-four-hour shiftwork, depressive symptoms, and job dissatisfaction among Japanese firefighters. Am J Ind Med. 2008. 51:380–391.

7. Lindquist TL, Beilin LJ, Knuiman MW. Influence of lifestyle, coping, and blood pressure in men and women. Hypertension. 1997. 29:1–7.

8. Birch D, Ashton H, Kamail F. Alcohol, drinking, illicit drug use, and stress in junior house officers in northeast England. Lancet. 1998. 352:785–786.

9. Ashley MJ, Ferrence R, Room R, Rankin J, Single E. Moderate drinking and health, Report of an international symposium. CMAJ. 1994. 151:809–828.

10. Wetterling T, Veltrup C, Driessen M, John U. Drinking pattern and alcohol related disorders. Alcohol Alcohol. 1999. 34:330–336.

11. San José B, Van Oers JA, van de Mheen H, Garretsen HF, Mackenbach JP. Drinking patterns and health outcomes: occasional versus regular drinking. Addiction. 2000. 95:865–872.

12. Horne JA, Reyner LA, Barrett PR. Driving impairment due to sleepiness is exacerbated by low alcohol intake. Occup Environ Med. 2003. 60(9):689–692.

13. Frone MR. Prevalence and distribution of alcohol use and impairment in the workplace: a U.S. national survey. J Stud Alcohol. 2006. 67:147–156.

14. Bacharach S, Bamberger P, Sonnenstuhl W. Driven to drink: Managerial control, work-related risk factors, and employee problem drinking. Acad Manage J. 2002. 45:637–658.

15. Kang KH, Lee KS, Kim SI, Meng KH, Hong HS, Jeong CH. The relationship between alcohol use and job stress among firemen. Korean J Occup Environ Med. 2001. 13:401–412. (Korean).

16. Boxer PA, Wild D. Psychological distress and alcohol use among fire fighters. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1993. 19:121–125.

17. Murphy SA, Beaton RD, Pike KC, Johnson LC. Occupational stressors, stress responses, and alcohol consumption among professional firefighters: a prospective, longitudinal analysis. Int J Stress Manag. 1999. 6:179–196.

18. Bacharach SB, Bamberger PA, Doveh E. Firefighters, critical incidents, and drinking to cope: the adequacy of unit-level performance resources as a source of vulnerability and protection. J Appl Psychol. 2008. 93:155–169.

19. Babor TF, Higgins-Biddle JC, Saunders JB, Monterio MG. The alcohol use disorders identification test: Guidelines for use in primary care. WHO/MNH/DAT 89.4. 1989. Geneva: World Health Organization.

20. Cho MJ, Kim KH. Diagnostic validity of the CESD(Korean version) in the assessment of the DSM-III-R major depression. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 1993. 32:381–399. (Korean).

21. Chang SJ, Koh SB, Kang D, Kim SA, Kang MG, Lee CG, Chung JJ, Cho JJ, Son MA, Chae CH, Kim JW, Kim JI, Kim HS, Roh SC, Park JB, Woo JM, Kim SY, Kim JY, Ha M, Park J, Rhee KY, Kim HR, Kong JO, Kim IA, Kim JS, Park JH, Hyun SJ, Son DK. Developing an occupational stress scale for Korean employees. Korean J Occup Environ Med. 2005. 17:297–317. (Korean).

22. Chang SJ, Koh SB, Kang MG, Cha BS, Park JK, Hyun SJ, Park JH, Kim SA, Kang DM, Chang SS, Lee KJ, Ha EH, Ha M, Woo JM, Cho JJ, Kim HS, Park JS. Epidemiology of psychosocial distress in Korean employees. J Prev Med Public Health. 2005. 38:25–37. (Korean).

23. Lorentz J, Hill L, Samimi B. Occupational needlestick injuries in a metropolitan police force. Am J Prev Med. 2000. 18:146–150.

24. Kortepeter MG, Krauss MR. Tuberculosis infection after humanitarian assistance, Guantanamo Bay, 1995. Mil Med. 2001. 166:116–120.

25. Kim SS. SW Yoo . Research on drinking behavior by job stress - focus of cushioning effect of coping skills. 1996. Graduate School of Yonsei University;Master's Dissertation. (Korean).

26. Korea national health and nutrition examination survey 4th(2008). Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. cited 29 April 2011. Available: http://knhanes.cdc.go.kr.

27. Jun HJ, Chung SK. Effects of workplace alcohol-related environment on drinking behaviors among female employees. J Korean Soc Health Educ Promot. 2008. 25:21–43. (Korean).

28. Droomers M, Schrijvers CT, Stronks K, van de Mheen D, Mackenbach JP. Educational difference in excessive alcohol consumption: The role of psychosocial and material stressors. Prev Med. 1999. 29:1–10.

29. Grunberg L, Moore S, Anderson-Connolly R, Greenberg E. Work stress and self- reported alcohol use: the moderating role of escapist reasons for drinking. J Occup Health Psychol. 1999. 4:29–36.

30. Shin MS. Problem drinking related factors and among adults in Korea. J Korean Alcohol Sci. 2002. 3:111–130. (Korean).

31. Kouvonen A, Kivimäki M, Virtanen M, Pentti J, Vahtera J. Work stress, smoking status, and smoking intensity: an observational study of 46,190 employees. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2005. 59:63–69.

32. Hwang SJ, Ou Sw, Kim SN, Hwang HS, Cho BL, Huh BY. Smoking patters and factors associated with smoking in Korean adult women. J Korean Acad Fam Med. 2000. 21:344–356. (Korean).

33. Kim KE. Drinking behavior and related factors of community residents. J Korean Soc Health Educ Promot. 2006. 23:23–43. (Korean).

34. Lee BG, Lee YJ, Jung BK, Lee JI, Kim SG. SW Yoo . Firefighter's work-related disease and health management practices. 2000. Namdong industrial complex fire station, Incheon fire station;(Korean).

35. Kim KH, Kim JW, Kim SH. Influences of job stressors on psychosocial well-being, fatigue and sleep sufficiency among firefighters. Korean J Occup Environ Med. 2006. 18:232–245. (Korean).

36. Kim DY. SW Yoo . A study on the satisfaction of the seoul fire office. 1992. Department of Public Administration. Dongguk University;Master's Dissertation. (Korean).

37. Yoon SH, Choi SJ, Shin DH, Chung IS, Ha JS. Job stressors in subway workers and firemen. Korean J Occup Environ Med. 2007. 19:179–186.

38. Guidotti TL. Human factors in firefighting: ergonomic-, cardiopulmonary-, and psychogenic stress-related issues. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1992. 64:1–12.

39. Gleason NA. Colleage women and alcohol: a relational perspective. J Am Coll Health. 1994. 42:279–289.

40. Cho JJ. SW Yoo . Study for evaluation of validity and reliability to Korean occupational stress scale. 2005. Incheon. Korea: OSHRI, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency;82–91. (Korean).

41. Graham K, Massak A, Demers A, Rehm J. Does the association between alcohol consumption and depression depend on how they are measured? Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007. 31:78–88.

42. Jex SM, Beehr TA. Rowland K, Ferris G, editors. Emerging theoretical and methodological issues in the study of work-related stress. Research in personnel and human resources. 1991. 311–365.