Objective: To examine the association between working hours and problem drinking in employees from different employment grades.
Methods: We used data from a national survey of randomly sampled Taiwanese workers. A total score of 2 or more on the Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, and Eye-Opener (CAGE) questionnaire was used to identify problem drinkers. Weekly working hours were categorized into five groups: <40, 40, 41-48, 49-59, and ≥60. Employees were classified into three employment grades: managers and professionals, skilled workers, and low-skilled workers. The associations between working hours and problem drinking in employees from different employment grades were examined by logistic regression models.
Results: In skilled workers, problem drinking was associated with <40 and 41-48 working hours, but not with >48 working hours. In low-skilled workers, problem drinking was most strongly associated with 49-59 working hours.
Conclusion: The association between working hours and problem drinking was not linear and differed with employment grades.
Keywords: alcohol; employment grade; problem drinking; socioeconomic status; working hours.
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