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Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Drinking Social Norms and Drinking Behaviours: a Multilevel Analysis of 137 Workgroups in 16 Worksites
Occup Environ Med
. Published Online First: 24 May 2007.





Previous studies on worksite drinking norms showed individually perceived norms were associated with drinking behaviours.

This study examines whether restrictive drinking social norms shared by workgroup membership are associated with decreased heavy drinking, frequent drinking and drinking at work at the worker level.

Multivariate adjusted models showed participants working in workgroups in the most discouraging drinking norms quartile were 45% less likely to be heavy drinkers, 54% less likely to be frequent drinkers and 69% less likely to drink at work than their counterparts in the most encouraging quartile.

Strong associations between work-group level restrictive drinking social norms and drinking outcomes suggest public health efforts at reducing drinking and alcohol related injuries, illnesses and diseases should target social interventions at worksites.

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Reprint Request E-mail: benjamin.c.amick@uth.tmc.edu.
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