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Drug Use Among U.S. Workers:   Prevalence & Trends by Occupation and Industry


Chapter 4:   Illicit Drug and Heavy Alcohol Use, by Occupation, Industry, Gender, and Marital Status

This chapter provides the rates of illicit drug and heavy alcohol use among full-time workers, ages 18-49, by gender and marital status. As shown in table 3.7 and table 3.8, there is substantial variation in the gender distribution across occupation and industry categories. Therefore, the illicit drug and heavy alcohol use patterns across categories may also differ by gender. One hypothesis that may be examined with data from this chapter is that both male and female workers in occupations that are overwhelmingly male are more likely to use illicit drugs and be heavy alcohol users. A second hypothesis that might be explored with these data is that married workers are less likely than unmarried workers to use illicit drugs and be heavy alcohol users.

4.1 Illicit Drug and Heavy Alcohol Use by Gender

Table 4.1 and table 4.2 provide the rates of current and past year illicit drug use, and heavy alcohol use, for men and women in each occupation and industry category (using the revised classification). Since the distribution of workers by gender differs by occupation and industry, and males tend to report higher levels of drug and heavy alcohol use, it is important to examine the prevalence of use in occupation and industry categories separately for men and women.

Unfortunately, once occupations and industries were broken out by gender, many of the estimates, especially those for current illicit drug use, demonstrated low precision and were suppressed. Therefore, the following description focuses on past year illicit drug use.

Among males, the occupations with the highest rates of illicit drug use included Writers, Artists, Entertainers, and Athletes; Food Preparation and Servers; Cleaning Services; Construction workers; and Handlers and Helpers. Moreover, in each of these categories, males had a significantly higher rate of past year illicit drug use than females. Among women, the occupations with the highest rates of illicit drug use were Food Preparation and Servers; Social Workers and Psychologists; the legal professions, including Lawyers and Legal Assistants; and Handlers and Helpers. However, women in these categories were not more likely to report illicit drug use than their male counterparts.

The industry categories in which male workers had the highest rates of past year illicit drug use were Paper and Allied Products; Eating and Drinking Places; and Entertainment and Recreation. The corresponding industry categories for female workers included Telephone, Radio, and Television; Eating and Drinking Places; Real Estate; Business Management; and Other Personal Services. However, the only significant gender difference was reported among workers from Eating and Drinking Places: males reported significantly higher current and past year illicit drug use, and heavy alcohol use than females.

4.2 Illicit Drug and Heavy Alcohol Use by Marital Status

In general, married people report less drug use than those who are not married. Table 4.3 and table 4.4 investigate this association among full-time workers, ages 18-49, by occupation and industry. Since workers in the NHSDA who are not married tend to be younger, a statistical procedure known as direct age standardization was conducted so that the categories have a similar age distribution (see Appendix B).

The estimates shown in Tables 4.3 and 4.4 confirm the association between drug use and marital status: overall workers who were married were less likely to report illicit drug and heavy alcohol use than workers who were not married. In most of the occupations, the magnitude of difference tended to be about two to one. Among those not married, workers in the following categories had the highest rates of current illicit drug use: Food Preparation and Servers, Construction Trades, Handlers and Helpers, Transportation Drivers, and Mechanics. Among those who were married, workers in Construction Trades and Cleaning and Building Services had the highest rates of current illicit drug use.

Rates of heavy alcohol use among unmarried workers were highest among Truck Drivers, Handlers and Helpers, and Mechanics. Among married workers, reported heavy alcohol use was highest among Transportation Drivers, Construction Trades, and Public Safety occupations such as Police, Correctional Officers, and Fire Fighters.

The industry estimates also show that marital status and illicit drug and heavy alcohol use are associated, even within industry categories. Unmarried workers in the following industries had the highest rates of current illicit drug use: Construction, Eating and Drinking Places, and Machinery (except electrical). In each category, use was significantly higher among unmarried workers.

 

Table 4.1 Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, Reporting Drug Use, by Revised Occupation Categories and Gender 1991-1993

   

Current Illicit Drug Use

 

Past Year Illicit Drug Use

 

Heavy Alcohol Use

Occupation Category

 

Male

Female

 

Male

Female

 

Male

Female

Total

 

8.9

5.0

 

17.2

11.9

 

10.4

2.5

Financial Managers (007,025)

 

2.1

6.8

 

7.6

9.8

 

*

2.6

Accountants, Auditors, Underwriters, Actuaries & Bookkeepers

(23-24,66,337)

 

4.0

3.7

 

8.6

10.1

 

4.7

1.6

Executive Managers

(3-6,8-19)

 

6.3

4.3

 

15.0

10.1

 

8.1

2.0

Other Management-Related Occupations

(26-37)

 

6.2

7.2

 

12.1

11.8

 

4.6

2.5

Architects, Engineers & Engineering Technicians (43-63,213-218)

 

4.6

7.6

 

12.1

*

 

7.4

*

Physicians, Dentists, Optometrists, Podiatrists, Physicians' Assistants, Dieticians, Pharmacists, Dental Hygienists, Radiological Technicians & Therapists (84-85,87-89,97-106,204,206)

 

4.5

3.6

 

6.4

5.7

 

*

1.7

Table 4.1 (continued) Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, Reporting Drug Use, by Revised Occupation Categories and Gender, 1991-1993

   

Current Illicit Drug Use

 

Past Year Illicit Drug Use

 

Heavy Alcohol Use

Occupation Category

 

Male

Female

 

Male

Female

 

Male

Female

Clinical Laboratory & Technologists, Health Record Technologists & Technicians (203,205,208)

 

*

5.0

 

*

9.7

 

*

1.1

Nurses

(95,207)

 

*

3.4

 

*

11.1

 

*

0.9

Nurses Aides, Dental Assistants & Health Aides

(445-447)

 

*

6.3

 

*

12.4

 

*

4.1

Scientists, Science Technicians & Social Scientists

(67-83,96,166,168-169,173,223-225)

 

*

*

 

9.4

*

 

*

*

Teachers, Librarians & Teachers' Aides

(113-159,164,387)

 

*

2.0

 

12.4

7.4

 

4.5

1.2

Social Workers & Psychologists

(167,174)

 

6.7

*

 

*

16.5

 

*

*

Lawyers, Judges & Legal Assistants

(178-179,234)

 

*

5.6

 

*

16.6

 

*

3.0

Computer Analysts & Programmers

(64-65,229)

 

*

*

 

*

*

 

4.1

0.2

Writers, Artists, Photographers, Entertainers, Athletes, Designers

(183,185-194,198-199)

 

19.5

8.7

 

30.6

13.4

 

6.2

2.0

Other Professionals & Technicians (163,165,175-177,184,195,197,226-227,233,235,308-309

 

7.1

4.5

 

18.5

12.5

 

7.7

3.8

Sales Occupations

(243-274,277,285)

 

9.0

5.5

 

16.5

13.7

 

7.6

2.2

Sales Clerks & Cashiers (275-276)

 

*

5.7

 

*

14.4

 

5.5

5.2

Supervisors, Administrative Support (303-307,389)

 

*

3.5

 

12.8

15.2

 

*

2.0

Secretaries, Typists, Stenographers

(313-315)

 

*

5.2

 

*

10.2

 

*

1.3

Records Processing Clerks

(325-336,338-344,384-386)

 

*

2.5

 

4.7

9.7

 

1.1

2.4

Duplicating, Mail Clerks & Dispatchers

(345-374)

 

9.3

4.0

 

16.8

16.0

 

13.3

2.3

Information Clerks & General Office Clerks (316-323,379)

 

*

4.4

 

*

14.9

 

9.4

4.5

Adjusters & Investigators

(375-378)

 

*

4.9

 

*

13.9

 

9.5

1.4

Police, Detectives, Sheriffs, Correctional Officers, Fire Fighters & Guards

(413-427)

 

3.6

1.3

 

7.4

*

 

10.3

1.4

Food Preparation, Waiters, Waitresses & Bartenders

(433-444)

 

23.5

10.8

 

38.4

20.0

 

23.4

7.6

Cleaning & Building Services

(407,448-453)

 

17.2

5.9

 

26.5

9.6

 

11.9

4.1

Child Care Workers (406,468)

 

*

2.5

 

*

7.9

 

*

1.3

Miscellaneous Personal Services

(403-405,454-467,469)

 

9.7

6.5

 

*

14.0

 

5.6

2.6

Farming, Fishing & Forestry

(473-499)

 

8.9

1.9

 

15.6

*

 

11.3

*

Mechanics & Vehicle Repairers

(503-519)

 

9.0

*

 

16.4

*

 

14.6

*

Electrical & Electronic Repairers, Other Mechanics & Repairers (523-549)

 

9.4

*

 

16.6

*

 

8.5

*

Construction Trades (553-599)

 

14.0

*

 

21.7

*

 

14.4

*

Precision Production Occupations

(633-699)

 

9.3

2.9

 

18.7

7.4

 

9.2

*

Machine Operators

(703-779)

 

9.8

3.6

 

19.7

8.0

 

9.5

2.9

Fabricators, Assemblers & Hand Working Occupations

(783-799)

 

10.0

*

 

18.2

10.0

 

12.4

1.1

Truck Drivers

(804-806)

 

6.7

*

 

17.0

*

 

14.3

*

Other Transportation Drivers

(803,808-859)

 

7.3

*

 

11.7

*

 

12.1

*

Handlers, Equipment Cleaners, Helpers, Laborers & Extractive Occupations

(613-617,863-889)

 

12.4

6.9

 

22.4

23.1

 

17.1

3.7

Occupation Not Reported or Not Elsewhere Classified (896-999)

 

6.5

8.1

 

14.3

16.9

 

4.9

3.2

Note: Standard occupation codes appear in parentheses. See Table 3.7 sample sizes, estimated population sizes, percent female, and average age of workers associated with each category. Heavy alcohol use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on five or more occasions during the previous 30 days.

*Low precision; no estimate reported.

Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1991-1993.

 

Table 4.2 Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, Reporting Drug Use, by Revised Industry Categories and Gender, 1991-1993

   

Current Illicit Drug Use

 

Past Year Illicit Drug Use

 

Heavy Alcohol Use

Industry Category

 

Male

Female

 

Male

Female

 

Male

Female

Total

 

8.9

5.0

 

17.2

11.9

 

10.4

2.5

Agricultural Products, Horticulture & Mining

(010-050)

 

7.8

2.6

 

14.2

*

 

11.1

*

Construction

(060)

 

12.2

11.5

 

21.2

13.6

 

14.0

5.2

Manufacturing—Nondurable Goods

(100-222)

8.2

4.9

 

17.0

10.9

 

9.7

2.4

Food Products

(100-130)

 

12.3

5.0

 

19.9

14.8

 

10.9

*

Textile Mill Products

(132-152)

 

9.6

3.2

 

17.7

7.1

 

10.7

1.4

Paper & Allied Products, Publishing & Printing

(160-172)

 

13.8

6.0

 

25.6

16.1

 

8.3

4.1

Chemical & Allied Products, Petroleum, Coal, Rubber & Misc. (180-222)

 

1.9

6.1

 

9.4

9.4

 

9.7

2.3

Table 4.2 (continued) Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, Reporting Drug Use, by Revised Industry Categories and Gender, 1991-1993

   

Current Illicit Drug Use

 

Past Year Illicit Drug Use

 

Heavy Alcohol Use

Industry Category

 

Male

Female

 

Male

Female

 

Male

Female

Manufacturing—Durable Goods

(230-392)

7.8

3.8

 

16.4

10.2

 

10.1

1.6

Lumber, Stone, Glass & Concrete (230-262)

 

9.4

4.1

 

17.1

7.7

 

13.9

*

Metal Industries

(270-301)

 

7.3

*

 

21.3

*

 

11.4

*

Machinery, except Electrical (310-332)

 

8.6

2.1

 

14.9

7.4

 

9.2

*

Electrical Machinery Equipment & Supplies

(340-350)

 

6.1

4.7

 

11.6

7.8

 

4.1

*

Transportation Equipment

(351-370)

 

5.8

1.7

 

14.6

9.6

 

10.7

*

Professional Photographic Equipment, Watches & Misc. (371-392)

 

9.2

5.0

 

18.2

11.9

 

10.4

1.6

Transportation, Communications & Public Utilities (400-472)

5.8

5.2

 

13.6

13.5

 

9.2

2.1

Transportation

(400-432)

 

4.5

4.4

 

12.7

12.2

 

9.6

1.3

Trucking Services (410)

 

4.2

2.8

 

16.2

3.8

 

9.1

*

Air Transportation

(421)

 

4.2

*

 

15.4

5.2

 

9.7

0.8

Telephone, Telegraph, Radio, Television

(440-442)

 

9.0

*

 

14.9

19.4

 

8.9

3.1

Utilities & Sanitary

(460-472)

 

7.1

*

 

15.3

*

 

8.4

2.8

Wholesale Trade

(500-571)

8.7

5.9

 

16.4

13.0

 

12.6

3.6

Durable Goods

(500-532)

 

10.4

6.0

 

17.7

11.8

 

8.6

*

Nondurable Goods

(540-571)

 

7.3

5.9

 

15.2

13.7

 

15.9

1.0

Groceries

(550)

 

8.0

*

 

21.7

*

 

11.5

*

Misc. Wholesale Trade

(540-542,551-571)

 

6.6

5.8

 

8.5

11.8

 

20.4

1.3

Retail Trade

(580-691)

 

13.5

7.6

 

22.4

16.5

 

12.6

4.3

Department & Apparel Stores (591-600,630-631)

 

6.0

4.6

 

10.3

13.9

 

4.1

2.2

Grocery/Food Stores

(601-611)

 

9.9

8.6

 

17.6

16.8

 

9.1

1.7

Motor Vehicle Dealers, Auto & Home Supply, Service Stations (612-622)

 

12.1

4.5

 

19.5

*

 

11.7

*

Furniture & Household Appliances

(632-640)

 

13.9

*

 

19.2

*

 

8.2

0.6

Eating & Drinking Places, Drug Stores

(641-642)

 

20.4

10.7

 

33.9

19.8

 

20.9

8.0

Misc. Retail

(650-691,580-590)

 

10.3

3.3

 

17.7

10.6

 

9.5

1.4

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate

(700-712)

6.6

4.4

 

16.4

13.2

 

6.9

2.7

Banking and Savings & Loan (700-701)

 

4.1

4.0

 

*

12.1

 

*

2.2

Credit Agencies, Security & Brokerage

(702-710)

 

12.1

2.6

 

19.0

11.3

 

8.5

0.8

Insurance

(711)

 

5.3

3.7

 

14.5

11.5

 

6.5

3.9

Real Estate

(712)

 

7.5

8.4

 

18.0

20.8

 

7.5

*

Business & Repair Services

(721-760)

12.5

7.4

 

21.3

16.1

 

12.3

3.1

Business Management & Consulting, Advertising, Personnel, Computer & Data Processing

(721,731-732,740)

 

9.6

8.6

 

17.4

19.6

 

13.0

6.1

Services to Buildings

(722)

 

*

5.9

 

*

7.8

 

8.7

*

Other Business Service Not Elsewhere Classified

(730,741-742)

 

15.4

6.9

 

24.8

15.7

 

12.2

0.9

Automotive, Electrical & Misc. Repair Services

(750-760)

 

12.5

*

 

22.2

*

 

12.5

*

Personal Services

(762-791)

 

13.2

8.6

 

25.8

15.6

 

9.8

3.4

Hotel & Motel

(762,770)

 

10.9

6.0

 

*

11.2

 

10.6

4.8

Other Personal Services (761,771-791)

 

*

10.8

 

*

19.5

 

8.7

2.3

Entertainment & Recreation

(800-802)

 

16.8

*

 

28.7

*

 

8.6

*

Professional & Related Services

(812-892)

5.8

3.4

 

13.0

9.2

 

6.3

1.7

Offices of Health Professionals (812-830)

 

*

1.7

 

*

10.3

 

*

*

Hospitals

(831)

 

4.9

3.9

 

9.4

8.7

 

3.0

1.8

Nursing Homes & Personal Care Facilities

(832,870)

 

*

5.6

 

*

11.0

 

*

3.4

Other Health Services

(840)

 

7.3

4.1

 

14.2

12.9

 

9.1

2.3

Legal Services

(841)

 

*

5.9

 

*

12.2

 

*

1.0

Elementary & Secondary Schools (842)

 

4.1

1.4

 

14.3

6.2

 

6.2

1.3

Colleges, Universities, Business Schools, Job Training & Vocational Rehabilitation

(850-851,860-861)

 

*

2.6

 

11.0

5.1

 

*

1.8

Child Care & Social Services (862,871)

 

*

3.1

 

*

9.2

 

*

*

Professional & Related Services (852,872-882,890-892)

 

6.3

6.3

 

11.5

11.3

 

6.0

1.0

Public Administration

(900-932)

 

3.3

4.0

 

8.5

8.6

 

10.1

1.6

Executive & General Government (900-901)

 

4.9

8.2

 

9.8

14.8

 

*

2.4

Justice & Public Order

(910)

 

2.8

0.5

 

6.5

3.3

 

9.7

*

Other Government

(921-932)

 

2.4

2.4

 

10.7

6.4

 

6.9

1.8

Industry Not Reported or Not Elsewhere Classified

(942-999)

 

5.3

*

 

15.5

*

 

4.6

1.4

Note: Standard Industry codes appear in parentheses. See Table 3.8 for sample sizes, estimated population sizes, percent female, and average age of workers associated with each category. Heavy alcohol use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on five or more occasions during the previous 30 days.

*Low precision; no estimate reported.

Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1991-1993.

 

Table 4.3 Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, Reporting Drug Use, by Revised Occupation Categories and Marital Status, 1991-1993

   

Current Illicit Drug Use

 

Past Year Illicit Drug Use

 

Heavy Alcohol Use

 

 

Occupation Category

 

 

 

Married

Divorced, Separated, or
Never Married

 

 

 

Married

Divorced, Separated, or

Never Married

 

 

 

Married

Divorced, Separated, or

Never Married

Total

 

4.9

10.7

 

11.1

21.2

 

5.2

10.0

Financial Managers (007,025)

 

7.9

4.7

 

10.9

10.2

 

*

*

Accountants, Auditors, Underwriters, Actuaries & Bookkeepers

(23-24,66,337)

 

3.8

3.0

 

9.0

10.6

 

1.3

4.5

Executive Managers

(3-6,8-19)

 

4.2

10.6

 

10.2

23.3

 

4.6

7.9

Other Management-Related Occupations

(26-37)

 

2.9

11.7

 

6.0

20.5

 

1.3

5.9

Architects, Engineers & Engineering Technicians (43-63,213-218)

 

4.6

6.7

 

9.0

22.1

 

7.4

10.8

Physicians, Dentists, Optometrists, Podiatrists, Physicians' Assistants, Dieticians, Pharmacists, Dental Hygienists, Radiological Technicians & Therapists (84-85,87-89,97-106,204,206)

 

1.9

11.3

 

3.0

15.0

 

*

4.9

Table 4.3 (continued) Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, Reporting Drug Use, by Revised Occupation Categories and Marital Status, 1991-1993

   

Current Illicit Drug Use

 

Past Year Illicit Drug Use

 

Heavy Alcohol Use

 

 

Occupation Category

 

 

 

Married

Divorced, Separated, or

Never Married

 

 

 

Married

Divorced, Separated, or

Never Married

 

 

 

Married

Divorced, Separated, or

Never Married

Clinical Laboratory & Technologists, Health Record Technologists & Technicians

(203,205,208)

 

4.1

2.4

 

7.5

6.9

 

1.5

1.6

Nurses

(95,207)

 

5.4

3.6

 

14.5

10.4

 

*

2.7

Nurses Aides, Dental Assistants & Health Aides (445-447)

 

6.0

7.1

 

12.7

12.8

 

*

4.0

Scientists, Science Technicians & Social Scientists

(67-83,96,166,168-169,173,223-225)

 

*

*

 

15.0

*

 

*

*

Teachers, Librarians & Teachers' Aides

(113-159,164,387)

 

1.1

4.2

 

7.4

16.5

 

2.1

3.6

Social Workers & Psychologists

(167,174)

 

2.2

*

 

*

*

 

*

7.6

Lawyers, Judges & Legal Assistants

(178-179,234)

 

1.0

*

 

4.2

*

 

2.5

8.7

Computer Analysts & Programmers

(64-65,229)

 

*

*

 

*

16.4

 

0.5

*

Writers, Artists, Photographers, Entertainers, Athletes, Designers

(183,185-194,198-199)

 

*

*

 

13.4

*

 

0.8

*

Other Professionals & Technicians

(163,165,175-177,184,195,197,226-227,233,235,308-309)

 

4.1

9.7

 

11.3

22.0

 

5.8

6.8

Sales Occupations

(243-274,277,285)

 

4.8

12.3

 

10.9

22.3

 

3.5

8.9

Sales Clerks & Cashiers (275-276)

 

4.8

6.5

 

12.6

11.8

 

*

3.0

Supervisors, Administrative Support (303-307,389)

 

1.3

8.4

 

8.9

*

 

3.2

*

Secretaries, Typists, Stenographers

(313-315)

 

3.7

6.8

 

8.4

12.4

 

1.3

1.2

Records Processing Clerks (325-336,338-344,384-386)

 

1.5

2.8

 

7.4

8.5

 

*

2.2

Duplicating, Mail Clerks & Dispatchers

(345-374)

 

3.7

10.2

 

10.5

23.9

 

5.6

12.7

Information Clerks & General Office Clerks (316-323,379)

 

*

6.3

 

10.8

16.3