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Yoo, Kim, Park, and Kim: The Problem Drinking and Related Factors in Female Firefighters
Original Article
Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2012; 24(2): 124-132.

Published online: 30 June 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.0000/kjoem.2012.24.2.124

The Problem Drinking and Related Factors in Female Firefighters

Seung-Won Yoo, Kyoo-Sang Kim, Chung-Yill Park1, Min-Gi Kim2

Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, KOSHA, Korea.

1Catholic Industrial Medical Center & The Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Korea.

2Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, GyongJu Hospital of Dongguk University, Korea.

Corresponding author (kobawoo@kosha.net)

Received 21 September 2011       Revised 8 May 2012       Accepted 8 May 2012

Copyright © 2012 The Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

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 ≥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.

Keywords: Female firefighters, AUDIT score, Drinking behavior, Job stress, Depressive symptoms

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