Alcohol consumption and use of personal protective equipment in a cohort of Hispanic migrant farm workers in South Florida

Alcohol consumption in the Hispanic farm worker population is known and some drinking patterns have been identified. Although there is evidence to suggest that alcohol consumption can affect job performance and safety, studies focusing on the association between alcohol consumption and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) are lacking. A stratified network-based sample of 278 Hispanic migrant workers was recruited from migrant communities in South Florida. After screening for eligibility, participants were administered a structured questionnaire using A-CASI that included basic socio-demographic information, alcohol and other drug use history, and behavioral intentionality. This presentation uses a subsample of 112 study participants from the larger sample based on their reported exposure to pesticides and alcohol use. This study was approved by the IRB of our institution. Among subsample participants, 54% abuse alcohol and 46% use alcohol regularly. 64% of regular alcohol consumers use PPE; only 36% of alcohol abusers used PPE during the last year. This association between intensity and use of PPE was found to be significant. 46% of alcohol abusers used occupational hygiene measures compared to 54% of regular alcohol users. 57% of respondents applied pesticides during last year and 100% had some other exposure to pesticides. High alcohol consumption might be affecting Hispanic farm workers' decisions to engage in protective measures against occupational exposures. Use of PPE and proper hygiene measures at work are of extreme importance not only because of the type of exposures in this occupation but also considering their low access to healthcare.