Socio-demographic differences in alcohol-related work impairment

Effects of GSH on Alcohol Metabolism and Hangover Improvement in Humans: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

The definition of alcohol hangovers refers to a combination of mental and physical side effects that occur after drinking. One of the ways that hangovers can be ameliorated is by promoting the rapid and effective elimination of acetaldehyde to alleviate the discomfort it causes. This study aimed to investigate the effects of GSH (yeast extract containing 50 mg of glutathione) on the hangover-relieving effect.

METHODS

A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial was conducted with 40 participants who reported experiencing hangover symptoms. Participants consumed alcohol at a rate of 0.78 g per kg body weight with 40% whiskey, adjusted according to their weight. Alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations in serum were analyzed at 0, 0.25, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 15 h after alcohol consumption.

RESULTS

In the GSH group, the serum alcohol concentration decreased, although this change was not statistically significant. The serum acetaldehyde concentration was significantly lower in the GSH group in comparison to the placebo group (at 0.25, 1, 4, and 6 h (p < 0.01) and at 0.5, 2, and 15 h (p < 0.001) after alcohol consumption). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups on questionnaires such as the Acute Hangover Scale and the Alcohol Hangover Severity Scale.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, we consider the discovery that GSH lowered acetaldehyde concentration, a crucial factor in alcohol metabolism, to be more considerable. Therefore, GSH administration effectively reduces acetaldehyde levels in serum. This result suggests that this effect may contribute to the relief of hangover symptoms.

Absenteeism, Presenteeism, and the Economic Costs of Alcohol Hangover in The Netherlands

The alcohol hangover is defined as the combination of negative mental and physical symptoms that can be experienced after a single episode of alcohol consumption, starting when the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) approaches zero. Alcohol hangover symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, and headache can negatively affect daily activities, including work performance. The alcohol hangover can therefore be a cause of both absenteeism (not going to work) and presenteeism (going to work while hungover). An online survey among a convenience sample of n = 347 Dutch adults examined the number of days of absenteeism and presenteeism associated with having a hangover as well as the loss of productivity when going to work when hungover during the year 2019. In the Dutch sample, 8.1% of employees reported one or more days of absenteeism due to hangover in 2019, and 33.4% reported one or more days of presenteeism. The analyses revealed that alcohol hangover was associated with 0.2 days of absenteeism and 8.3 days of presenteeism and a productivity loss of 24.9% on days worked with a hangover. The estimated associated costs for the Dutch economy in 2019 of absenteeism (EUR 234,538,460) and presenteeism (EUR 2,423,603,184) total EUR 2,658,141,644. In conclusion, the alcohol hangover is associated with absenteeism, presenteeism, and reduced performance at work while hungover. As such, the annual costs of the alcohol hangover have a significant impact on the Dutch economy. However, these first findings on the economic costs of the alcohol hangover should be considered a rough estimate. They should be verified in a longitudinal study to minimize recall bias, including a nationally representative sample of sufficient sample size.

A systematic review and meta-analysis uncovering the relationship between alcohol consumption and sickness absence. When type of design, data, and sickness absence make a difference

AIM

Earlier research has revealed a strong relationship between alcohol use and sickness absence. The aim of this review was to explore and uncover this relationship by looking at differences in type of design (cross-sectional vs. longitudinal), type of data (self-reported vs. registered data), and type of sickness absence (long-term vs. short term).

METHOD

Six databases were searched through June 2020. Observational and experimental studies from 1980 to 2020, in English or Scandinavian languages reporting the results of the association between alcohol consumption and sickness absence among working population were included. Quality assessment, and statistical analysis focusing on differences in the likelihood of sickness absence on subgroup levels were performed on each association, not on each study. Differences in the likelihood of sickness absence were analyzed by means of meta-analysis. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018112078.

RESULTS

Fifty-nine studies (58% longitudinal) including 439,209 employees (min. 43, max. 77,746) from 15 countries were included. Most associations indicating positive and statistically significant results were based on longitudinal data (70%) and confirmed the strong/causal relationship between alcohol use and sickness absence. The meta-analysis included eight studies (ten samples). The increased risk for sickness absence was likely to be found in cross-sectional studies (OR: 8.28, 95% CI: 6.33-10.81), studies using self-reported absence data (OR: 5.16, 95% CI: 3.16-8.45), and those reporting short-term sickness absence (OR: 4.84, 95% CI: 2.73-8.60).

CONCLUSION

This review supports, but also challenges earlier evidence on the association between alcohol use and sickness absence. Certain types of design, data, and types of sickness absence may produce large effects. Hence, to investigate the actual association between alcohol and sickness absence, research should produce and review longitudinal designed studies using registry data and do subgroup analyses that cover and explain variability of this association.

Are Demanding Job Situations Associated with Alcohol-Related Presenteeism? The WIRUS-Screening Study

Alcohol-related presenteeism (impaired work performance caused by alcohol use) is an important but under-researched topic. The aim of this study was to explore whether psychosocial work environment factors were associated with alcohol-related presenteeism. A cross sectional study of Norwegian employees (n = 6620) was conducted. Logistic regression analyses were used for estimating associations with alcohol-related presenteeism, which was reported among 473 (7.1%) of the employees. Adjusted by age, gender, education level and managerial level, higher levels of overcommitment to work were associated with alcohol-related presenteeism. Higher age, male gender and higher education were also associated with alcohol-related presenteeism. Occupational health services and employers should especially focus on overcommitted employees when designing workplace health promotion programs. Modifying attitudes towards alcohol-related presenteeism among overcommitted employees may be of importance for safety at work.

Hazardous alcohol consumption among older adults: A comprehensive and multi-national analysis of predictive factors in 13,351 individuals

Background

Older adults exhibit heightened vulnerability for alcohol-related health impairments. Increases in the proportion of older adults within the European Union’s total population and prevalence rates of alcohol use disorders in this age group are being observed. This large scale international study was conducted to identify those older adults with an increased risk to engage in hazardous drinking behaviour.

Methods

Socio-demographic, socio-economic, personality characteristics (Big Five Inventory, BFI-10), and alcohol consumption patterns of 13,351 individuals from 12 different European countries, collected by the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe, were analyzed using regression models.

Results

Age, nationality, years of education, as well as personality traits, were significantly associated with alcohol intake. For males, extraversion predicted increased alcohol intake (RR = 1.11, CI = 1.07–1.16), whereas conscientiousness (RR = 0.93, CI = 0.89–0.97), and agreeableness (RR = 0.94, CI = 0.90–0.99), were associated with a reduction. For females, openness to new experiences (RR = 1.11, CI = 1.04–1.18) predicted increased alcohol intake. Concerning excessive drinking, personality traits, nationality, and age-predicted consumption patterns for both sexes: Extraversion was identified as a risk factor for excessive drinking (OR = 1.15; CI = 1.09–1.21), whereas conscientiousness was identified as a protective factor (OR = 0.87; CI = 0.823–0.93).

Conclusion

Hazardous alcohol consumption in the elderly was associated with specific personality characteristics. Preventative measures, crucial in reducing deleterious health consequences, should focus on translating the knowledge of the association of certain personality traits and alcohol consumption into improved prevention and treatment.

Work-Related Alcohol Use and Harm to Others

Drinking alcohol with coworkers is a common practice in many occupational cultures. This practice may produce negative consequences for some employees. Objectives: We estimate the prevalence of a set of negative consequences of work-related alcohol use and identify risk factors associated with experience of harm from coworkers' drinking. Methods: In an online survey, Norwegian employees (n = 3596) aged 20-69 reported whether they had experienced the following due to coworkers' drinking the past 12 months: (a) felt excluded, (b) experienced unwanted sexual attention, (c) been physically harmed, and (d) been verbally abused. Each outcome was regressed on socio-demographics (age, gender, education, and income), job characteristics (flexibility and autonomy), respondents' alcohol use, and perceived intoxication frequency in work contexts for a typical coworker (perceived coworker intoxication frequency). Results: The 12-month prevalence of experiencing any of the negative consequences was 18%. Having felt excluded (10.7%) and experienced unwanted sexual attention (7.0%) were more common than being verbally abused (4.8%) or physically harmed (1.9%). Perceived coworker intoxication frequency was strongly associated with all outcomes. Respondents' own drinking frequency predicted being verbally abused, being physically harmed, and experiencing unwanted sexual attention. Women experienced less physical harm and more unwanted sexual attention than men. Prevalence also varied by age, education, income, and job characteristics. Conclusions: Each year, approximately one-sixth of Norwegian employees experience harm from their coworkers' drinking. The frequency of intoxication in work contexts is strongly associated with harm to others.