Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114558

Sharon L. Larson, PhD, Office of Applied Studies-Division of Population Surveys, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 1 Choke Cherry Rd, Rockville, MD 20857, 240-276-1272, sharon.larson@samhsa.hhs.gov and Joe Gfroerer, Division of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Rockville, MD 20857.

An important step to understanding the problems associated with drug and alcohol use among American workers is to understand the prevalence of drug and alcohol use among workers. Drug use among workers is associated with a significant social, economic and public health problems. Using data from the 2002-2004 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), this analysis provides national estimates of heavy alcohol use and illicit drug use (collectively referred to as SA) by occupational categories for adults in the United States. Additional data describes and models the relationship of SA, occupational categories and employee demographic and geographic characteristics to employer policy related to SA and workplace drug and alcohol testing. There has been some evidence in the past of a “sentinel effect” in which individuals who use illicit substances are deterred from working for employers who have a drug testing policy. This study explores whether the sentinel effect occurs only in a pre-hire drug testing environment or whether random or ‘for cause' post-hire drug testing functions similarly. This analysis will provide employers, policy makers and public health advocates with clarification about the prevalence of SA in the workplace, employer settings where drug testing occurs, and some of the potential outcomes of drug testing and other workplace substance abuse programs. Evidence from this study may be used to inform policies that target SA problems in the workplace and enhance safety, performance and productivity.

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