Skip to main content
Log in

Prevalence and demographic correlates of alcohol-related problems in Japanese employees

  • Published:
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

To examine the relationship of basic sociodemographic characteristics to alcohol-related problems in Japanese employees, a questionnaire survey was conducted of a total of 2,581 employees of a computer factory in a suburb of Tokyo. The questionnaires included items on gender, age, marital status, social class (i. e., education, family income and occupation), alcohol consumption, and the Kurihama Alcoholism Screening Test (KAST). Data from 1098 male and 265 female current drinkers aged 20 years or older were analyzed; 15% and 6% of the male and female subjects, respectively, were classified as having alcohol-related problems on the basis of the KAST score (13% and 4% of the entire study population, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that alcohol-related problems were more prevalent in the less educated, managers and those who had a high alcohol consumption. The results suggested that education and occupation are important factors related to alcoholrelated problems in Japanese employees.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Åmark C (1951) A study of alcoholism. Acta Psychiatr Neurol Scand [Suppl] 70: 237–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Bromet EJ, Dew MA, Parkinson DK, Schulberg HC (1988) Predictive effects of occupational and marital stress on the mental health of a male workforce. J Organiz Behav 9: 1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Cahalan D (1970) Problem drinkers. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Cahill MH, Volicer BJ, (1981) Male and female differences in severity of problems with alcohol at the workplace. Drug Alcohol Depend 8: 143–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Defrank RS, Ivancevich JM, Schweiger DM (1988) Job stress and mental well-being: similarities and differences among American, Japanese, and Indian Managers. Behav Med 14: 160–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards G, Chandler J, Hensman C Peto J (1972) Drinking in a London surburb: II. Correlates of trouble with drinking among men. Q J Stud Alcohol [Suppl] 6: 94–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards G, Hensman C, Peto J (1972) Drinking troubles among men and women. Q J Stud Alcohol [Suppl] 6: 120–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrence RG (1980) Sex differences in the prevalence of problem drinking. In: Kalant OJ (ed) Alcohol and drug problems in women: research advances in alcohol and drug problems, vol 5. Plenum Press, New York, pp 69–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Freed EX (1978) Alcohol and mood: an updated review. Int J Addict 13: 173–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Hilton ME (1987) Drinking patterns and drinking problems in 1984 results from a general population survey. Alcoholism Clin Exp Res 11: 167–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Hitz D (1973) Drunken sailors and others: drinking problems in specific occupations. Q J Stud Alcohol 34: 496–505

    Google Scholar 

  • Japan Health and Welfare Statistics Association (1988) Trend in the nation's health. (In Japanese) Japan Health and Welfare Statistics Association, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Knupfer G (1967) The epidemiology of problem drinking. Am J Public Health 57: 973–986

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuriyama K, Ida S, Ohkuma S (1984) Alcohol control policy in Japan. In: Miller PM Nirenberg TD (eds) Prevention of alcohol abuse. Plenum Press, New York, pp 199–204

    Google Scholar 

  • Lincoln JR (1989) Employee work attitudes and management practice in the U. S. and Japan: evidence from a large comparative survey Calif Management Rev 32: 89–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulford HA (1964) Drinking and deviant drinking, U. S. A., 1963 Q J J Stud Alcohol 25: 634–650

    Google Scholar 

  • National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (1985) Alcoholism: an inherited disease. (DHHS publication no. ADM 85-1426) U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker DA, Kaelber C, Harford TC, Brody JA (1983) Alcohol problems among employed men and women in metropolitan Detroit. J Stud Alcohol 44: 1026–1039

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker DA, Farmer GC (1988) The epidemiology of alcohol abuse among employed men and women. In: Galanter M (ed) Recent developments in alcoholism. vol 6. Prenum Press New York, pp 113–130

    Google Scholar 

  • Plant MA (1977) Alcoholism and occupation: a review. Br J Addict 72: 309–316

    Google Scholar 

  • Roman PM, Trice HM (1976) Alcohol abuse and work organizations. In: Kissin B Begleiter H (eds) Social aspects of alcoholism. Plenum Press, New York, pp 445–517

    Google Scholar 

  • Saito S Ikegami N (1978) KAST (Kurihama Alcoholism Screening Test) and its applications. Jpn J Stud Alcohol 13: 229–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Sargent MJ (1967) Changes in Japanese drinking patterns. J Stud Alcohol 28: 709–722

    Google Scholar 

  • Smart RG (1979) Drinking problems among employed, unemployed and shift workers. J Occup Med 21: 731–736

    Google Scholar 

  • SPSS Inc. (1988) SPSS-x user's guide. 3rd edn. SPSS Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Webb GR Redman S, Hennrikus D, Rostas JA, Sanson-Fisher RW (1990) The prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of high-risk and problem drinking at an industrial worksite. BrJ Addict 85: 495–507

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kawakami, N., Haratani, T., Hemmi, T. et al. Prevalence and demographic correlates of alcohol-related problems in Japanese employees. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 27, 198–202 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00789006

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00789006

Keywords

Navigation