Journal of Alcoholism & Drug Dependence
Open Access

Abstract

Australian Construction Industry Apprentices’ Alcohol Use and its Relation to their Experiences of Alcohol- Related Harm

Karin Du Plessis, Tim Corney, Emma Green and Lewis Burnside

This study reports on the prevalence of harmful alcohol use in a sample of male Australian construction industry apprentices, and also discusses alcohol-related harms. Data was gathered from 108 male construction industry apprentices (predominantly 15-25 years of age). Findings indicate that approximately two thirds (65.7%) of apprentices had an AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) score over 8, which place them in a ‘harmful’ alcohol consumption category. There was a positive correlation between ‘harmful’ alcohol consumption and numerous alcohol-related behavioral harms. Thus, what is clear is that the greater apprentices’ score on the AUDIT test (which measures their harmful alcohol consumption), the more likely it is that they will experience alcohol-related behavioral harms, including missing classes, drunk driving, risky sex, memory loss, poor physical health, expressing verbal, physical and racial abuse, physical injuries, property damage, poly-substance use, relationship difficulties, financial difficulties and dangerous behavior. We can conclude that this is a high risk group for alcohol-related harms, and as such the paper makes suggestions for implementing focused preventive strategies in apprentices training environments and workplaces.