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Drug Use Among U.S. Workers: Prevalence & Trends by Occupation and Industry |
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Chapter 3 Prevalence of Illicit Drug and Heavy Alcohol Use Among Full-Time Workers
The following tables present data on the prevalence of illicit drug and heavy alcohol use among full-time workers, ages 18-49, by two different occupation and industry categorization schemes. The first six tables rely on a scheme of about 70 occupation categories and 70 industry categories to capture a detailed picture of the U.S. work force. The next four tables, as well as those in subsequent chapters, use a smaller set of 40 occupation and 51 industry categories. Note that in Tables 3.6, 3.8, 3.10, and industry tables in subsequent chapters, the major industry groups are listed in bold, while their subgroups are listed in regular text.
3.1 Estimates for Detailed Categories
Tables 3.1 A,B and Tables 3.2 A,B provide the occupation categories with the highest and lowest rates of current illicit drug use (past 30 days) and heavy alcohol use (past 30 days), respectively. Occupations involved in construction and food preparation have the highest reported illicit drug and heavy alcohol use. Among the lowest illicit drug use occupations were police and detectives, and those in which female workers tended to predominate such as teachers, child care workers, and data clerks. Occupations with low rates of heavy alcohol use included data clerks, personnel specialists, and secretaries.
Tables 3.3 A,B and Tables 3.4 A,B furnish similar information, but focus on industry categories. Consistent with the occupation rankings, workers in eating and drinking places were among the highest in percentage reporting illicit drug use. However, workers in the furniture retail sales and entertainment industries also had high rates of illicit drug use. Low rates of illicit drug use were found among workers in child care, at physicians’, dentists’, and chiropractors’ offices, and in schools. Computer and data processing workers reported the highest rates of heavy alcohol use.
Tables 3.5 A,B and Tables 3.6 A,B,C, & D present the estimated percentages of full-time workers who reported current illicit drug use, past year illicit drug use, and heavy alcohol use by occupation and industry (see the shaded columns). The tables also furnish the USDOL standard codes (see Appendix C), the unweighted sample sizes, and the estimated population sizes associated with each category. Finally, since gender and age might confound the results (illicit drug and heavy alcohol use are more prevalent among men than women, and among young adults than older adults), the tables provide the percentage of females and the average age of workers in each occupation and industry category. An asterisk in the place of a number indicates that the estimated percentage is suppressed due to low precision (see Appendix B).
3.2 Estimates for Revised Categories
Tables 3.7 A,B,C and Tables 3.8 A,B,C & D present estimates for the smaller set of 40 occupation and 51 industry categories that are used in subsequent tables. Workers from similar groups as those identified above reported the highest current illicit drug and heavy alcohol use. Overall, the categories that include Writers, Artists, Entertainers, and Athletes; Food Preparation and Servers; and Construction workers reported the highest rates of current illicit drug use; while these as well as Mechanics and Vehicle Repairers, Truck Drivers, and Handlers reported the highest rates of heavy alcohol use.
3.3 The Estimated Number of Illicit Drug and Heavy Alcohol Users
Tables 3.9 A,B & C and Tables 3.10 A,B,C & D include the estimated number of full-time workers with illicit drug and heavy alcohol use, by occupation and industry (using the revised categories). These tables provide complementary information to Tables 3.7 and 3.8 since one may compare groups with high rates of use to those with a high aggregate number of users. This comparison has important implications for targeting drug prevention and treatment efforts.
Construction workers and Food Preparation workers and Servers accounted for large numbers of users, each with an estimated number of current illicit drug users in excess of 400,000. Executive Managers, although they had a relatively low rate of use, accounted for about 470,000 current illicit drug users and almost 500,000 heavy alcohol users. Moreover, Sales occupations approached 500,000 current and one million past year illicit drug users.
The industry categories with the highest estimated number of current illicit drug users were Construction and Eating and Drinking Places, with more than 500,000 users each. No other industry category exceeded even 200,000 estimated current illicit drug users. However, the Transportation industry included an estimated 275,000 heavy alcohol users.
|
Table 3.1 (part A): Occupation Categories with the Highest and Lowest Rates of Current Illicit Drug Use, Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, 1991-1993 |
||||||
|
Ten Highest Rates of Current Illicit Drug Use |
Ten Lowest Rates of Current Illicit Drug Use |
|||||
|
Rank |
Occupation Category |
Percentage Reporting Drug Use |
Rank |
Occupation Category |
Percentage Reporting Drug Use |
|
|
1 |
Other Construction (563-566,573,588-599) |
17.3 |
1 |
Police and Detectives (418-424) |
1.0 |
|
|
2 |
Construction Supervisors (553-558) |
17.2 |
2 |
Administrative Support (389) |
2.2 |
|
|
3 |
Food Preparation (436-444) |
16.3 |
3 |
Teachers (113-159) |
2.3 |
|
|
4 |
Waiters and Waitresses (435) |
15.4 |
4 |
Child Care Workers (406,468) |
2.6 |
|
|
5 |
Helpers and Laborers (864-873) |
13.1 |
5 |
Dental and Health Aides (445-446) |
2.8 |
|
|
6 |
Writers, Designers, Artists, and Athletes (183,185-188,193-194,199) |
13.1 |
6 |
Data Clerks (384-386) |
3.2 |
|
|
7 |
Janitors (453) |
13.0 |
7 |
Records Processing Clerks (326-336) |
3.5 |
|
See notes at end of table.
|
Table 3.1 (part B): Occupation Categories with the Highest and Lowest Rates of Current Illicit Drug Use, Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, 1991-1993 |
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|
Ten Highest Rates of Current Illicit Drug Use |
Ten Lowest Rates of Current Illicit Drug Use |
|||||
|
Rank |
Occupation Category |
Percentage Reporting Drug Use |
Rank |
Occupation Category |
Percentage Reporting Drug Use |
|
|
8 |
Purchasing Agents and Buyers (028-033) |
12.9 |
8 |
Computer Programmers and Operators (229,308-309) |
3.6 |
|
|
9 |
Auto Mechanics (505) |
12.8 |
9 |
Engineers (044-059) |
3.9 |
|
|
10 |
Construction Laborers (865,869)
Other Laborers (889) |
12.8
12.8 |
10 |
Therapists (098-106) |
4.0 |
|
Note: Standard occupation codes appear in parentheses. Occupation categories that had equal percentages of current illicit drug use were assigned rank order alphabetically. See Table 3.5 for specific characteristics associated with each occupation category, such as unweighted sample sizes, estimated population sizes, percent female, and average age.
Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1991-1993.
|
Table 3.2 (part A): Occupation Categories with the Highest and Lowest Rates of Heavy Alcohol Use, Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, 1991-1993 |
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|
Ten Highest Rates of Heavy Alcohol Use |
Ten Lowest Rates of Heavy Alcohol Use |
|||||
|
Rank |
Occupation Category |
Percentage Reporting Heavy Alcohol Use |
Rank |
Occupation Category |
Percentage Reporting Heavy Alcohol Use |
|
|
1 |
Other Construction (563-566,573,588-599) |
20.6 |
1 |
Data Clerks (384-386) |
0.8 |
|
|
2 |
Construction Laborers (865,869) |
19.9 |
2 |
Personnel and Training Specialists (008,027) |
1.1 |
|
|
3 |
Helpers and Laborers (864-873) |
19.5 |
3 |
Secretaries and Typists (313-315) |
1.4 |
|
|
4 |
Auto Mechanics (505) |
16.3 |
4 |
Bank Tellers (383) |
1.5 |
|
|
5 |
Food Preparation (436-444) |
16.3 |
5 |
Bookkeepers (337) |
1.7 |
|
|
6 |
Truck Drivers, Light (805-806) |
15.1 |
6 |
Clinical Laboratory and Technologists (203,208) |
2.2 |
|
|
7 |
Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Mechanics and Repairers (505-519) |
14.9 |
7 |
Teachers (113-159) |
2.2 |
|
See notes at end of table.
|
Table 3.2 (part B): Occupation Categories with the Highest and Lowest Rates of Heavy Alcohol Use, Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, 1991-1993 |
||||||
|
Ten Highest Rates of Heavy Alcohol Use |
Ten Lowest Rates of Heavy Alcohol Use |
|||||
|
Rank |
Occupation Category |
Percentage Reporting Heavy Alcohol Use |
Rank |
Occupation Category |
Percentage Reporting Heavy Alcohol Use |
|
|
8 |
Painters, Plasterers, and Plumbers (579-587) |
14.8 |
8 |
Dental and Health Aides (445-446) |
2.3 |
|
|
9 |
Carpenters (567-569) |
13.8 |
9 |
Computer Scientists and Analysts (064-065) |
2.4 |
|
|
10 |
Material Moving Operators (844-859) |
13.8 |
10 |
Child Care Workers (406,408) |
2.6 |
|
Note: Standard occupation codes appear in parentheses. See Table 3.5 for specific characteristics associated with each occupation category, such as unweighted sample sizes, estimated population sizes, percent female, and average age. Heavy alcohol use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on five or more occasions during the past 30 days.
Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1991-1993.
|
Table 3.3 (part A): Industry Categories with the Highest and Lowest Rates of Current Illicit Drug Use, Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, 1991-1993 |
||||||
|
Ten Highest Rates of Current Illicit Drug Use |
Ten Lowest Rates of Current Illicit Drug Use |
|||||
|
Rank |
Industry Category |
Percentage Reporting Drug Use |
Rank |
Industry Category |
Percentage Reporting Drug Use |
|
|
1 |
Eating and Drinking Places (641) |
16.3 |
1 |
Child Care Services (862) |
1.3 |
|
|
2 |
Furniture and Appliance Retail Trade (632-640) |
14.4 |
2 |
Physicians, Dentists, Chiropractors, etc. Offices (812-830) |
1.5 |
|
|
3 |
Entertainment and Recreation (800-802) |
13.7 |
3 |
Administration of Programs (922-931) |
1.8 |
|
|
4 |
Advertising, Business Management, and Consulting (721,732) |
13.1 |
4 |
Elementary and Secondary Schools (842) |
2.2 |
|
|
5 |
Telegraph and Miscellaneous Communications (442) |
12.3 |
5 |
Justice and Public Order (910) |
2.2 |
|
|
6 |
Construction (060) |
12.2 |
6 |
Rubber and Plastic Products (210-212) |
2.5 |
|
|
7 |
Automotive Service and Repair (750-760) |
12.0 |
7 |
Air Transportation (421) |
3.2 |
|
See notes at end of table.
|
Table 3.3 (part B) Industry Categories with the Highest and Lowest Rates of Current Illicit Drug Use, Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, 1991-1993 |
||||||
|
Ten Highest Rates of Current Illicit Drug Use |
Ten Lowest Rates of Current Illicit Drug Use |
|||||
|
Rank |
Industry Category |
Percentage Reporting Drug Use |
Rank |
Industry Category |
Percentage Reporting Drug Use |
|
|
8 |
Other Business & Repair Services (723-731,733-739,741-742) |
11.9 |
8 |
National Security (932) |
3.4 |
|
|
9 |
Printing and Publishing (171-172) |
11.7 |
9 |
Telephone (441) |
3.4 |
|
|
10 |
Auto Supply & Gas Stations (620-622) |
11.2 |
10 |
Agricultural (010-020) |
3.6 |
|
|
Chemical Products (180-192) |
3.6
|
|||||
|
Colleges and Universities (850) |
3.6 |
|||||
Note: Standard industry codes appear in parentheses. Industry categories that had equal percentages of current illicit drug use were assigned rank order alphabetically. See Table 3.6 for specific characteristics associated with each industry category, such as sample sizes, estimated population sizes, percent female, and average age.
Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1991-1993.
|
Table 3.4 (part A): Industry Categories with the Highest and Lowest Rates of Heavy Alcohol Use, Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, 1991-1993 |
||||||
|
Ten Highest Rates of Heavy Alcohol Use |
Ten Lowest Rates of Heavy Alcohol Use |
|||||
|
Rank |
Industry Category |
Percentage Reporting Heavy Alcohol Use |
Rank |
Industry Category |
Percentage Reporting Heavy Alcohol Use |
|
|
1 |
Computer and Data Processing (740) |
16.2 |
1 |
Physicians, Dentists, Chiropractors, et. Offices (812-830) |
0.1 |
|
|
2 |
Eating and Drinking Places (641) |
15.4 |
2 |
Professional and Related Services, misc. (892) |
0.6 |
|
|
3 |
Construction (060) |
13.4 |
3 |
Child Care Services (862) |
0.9 |
|
|
4 |
Auto Supply and Gas Stations (620-622) |
13.2 |
4 |
Apparel and Shoe Stores (630-631) |
1.5 |
|
|
5 |
Lumber and Wood Products (230-242) |
12.0 |
5 |
Hospitals (831) |
2.1 |
|
|
6 |
Automotive Service & Repair (750-760) |
11.4 |
6 |
Accounting and Bookkeeping (890) |
2.3 |
|
|
7 |
Horticultural (021) |
10.8 |
7 |
Electrical Machinery (340-350) |
2.7 |
|
See notes at end of table.
|
Table 3.4 (part B) Industry Categories with the Highest and Lowest Rates of Heavy Alcohol Use, Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, 1991-1993 |
||||||
|
Ten Highest Rates of Heavy Alcohol Use |
Ten Lowest Rates of Heavy Alcohol Use |
|||||
|
Rank |
Industry Category |
Percentage Reporting Heavy Alcohol Use |
Rank |
Industry Category |
Percentage Reporting Heavy Alcohol Use |
|
|
8 |
Metal Industries (270-301) |
10.0 |
8 |
Elementary and Secondary Schools (842) |
2.7 |
|
|
9 |
Wholesale Trade, Groceries (550) |
9.8 |
9 |
Private Household (761) |
2.8 |
|
|
10 |
Hotel and Motel (762) |
9.6 |
10 |
Legal Services (841) |
3.0 |
|
Note: Standard industry codes appear in parentheses. See Table 3.6 for specific characteristics associated with each industry category, such as unweighted sample sizes, estimated population sizes, percent female, and average age. Heavy alcohol use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on five or more occasions during the previous 30 days.
Source: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 1991-1993.
|
Table 3.5 (part A): Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, Reporting Drug Use, by Occupation Categories, 1991-1993 |
|||||||||
|
Percentage Reporting Drug Use |
|||||||||
|
Occupation |
Standard Codes |
Unweighted Sample Size |
Estimated |
Percent Female |
Average Age |
Current Illicit Drug Use |
Past Year Illicit Drug Use |
Heavy Alcohol Use |
|
|
Total |
33,505 |
77,011,853 |
41.4 |
34.7 |
7.3 |
15.0 |
7.1 |
||
|
Financial Managers |
007, 025 |
385 |
925,500 |
51.4 |
36.0 |
4.6 |
8.7 |
7.9 |
|
|
Administrators & Legislators |
003-006, 014 |
217 |
726,232 |
48.0 |
40.1 |
* |
10.6 |
* |
|
|
Marketing, Advertising & Real Estate Managers |
013, 016 |
290 |
708,148 |
43.7 |
34.8 |
8.6 |
23.0 |
6.7 |
|
|
Other Managers |
009, 015, 017-019 |
2246 |
6,850,228 |
33.5 |
36.9 |
5.4 |
12.4 |
6.3 |
|
|
Accountants & Auditors |
023-024 |
487 |
1,089,096 |
49.7 |
35.5 |
4.8 |
8.1 |
3.4 |
|
|
Bookkeepers |
337 |
437 |
983,636 |
91.3 |
34.8 |
2.8 |
11.7 |
1.7 |
|
|
Personnel & Training Specialists |
008, 027 |
183 |
502,102 |
62.8 |
37.1 |
* |
11.4 |
1.1 |
|
|
Table 3.5 (part B) Percentage of Full-Time Workers, Ages 18-49, Reporting Drug Use, by Occupation Categories, 1991-1993 |
|||||||||
|
Percentage Reporting Drug Use |
|||||||||
|
Occupation Category |
Standard Codes |
Unweighted Sample Size |
Estimated |
Percent Female |
Average Age |
Current Illicit Drug Use |
Past Year Illicit Drug Use |
Heavy Alcohol Use |
|
|
Purchasing Agents & Buyers |
028-033 |
116 |
254,106 |
51.0 |
36.1 |
12.9 |
* |
5.9 |
|
|
Other Management Related Occupations |
034-037 |
314 |
610,638 |
68.3 |
35.4 |
7.9 |
12.2 |
* |
|
|
Engineers |
044-059 |
522 |
1,731,562 |
8.4 |
35.3 |
3.9 |
9.4 |
6.7 |
|
|
Engineering Technicians |
213-216 |
221 |
757,596 |
16.2 |
36.6 |
6.8 |
19.7 |
4.4 |
|
|
Computer Scientists & Analysts |
064-065 |
252 |
549,519 |
38.3 |
37.9 |
* |
* |
2.4 |
|
|
Computer Programmers & Operators |
229, 308-309 |
392 |
755,198 |
55.6 |
34.9 |
3.6 |
10.4 |
2.7 |
|
|
Natural Scientists & Science Technicians |
069-083, 222-225 |
185 |
627,026 |
26.9 |
35.2 |
4.2 |
10.0 |
* |
|
|
Physicians, Dentists, Optometrists & Podiatrists |
084-085, 087-089 |
119 |
432,010 |
15.2 |
39.1 |
* |
3.3 |
* |
|
|
Nurses & Nursing Aides |
095, 207, 447 |
1129 |
2,434,585 |
91.3 |
35.2 |
5.5 |
12.8 |
2.8 |
|
|
Dental & Health Aides |
445-446 |
216 |
391,516 |
91.7 |
34.8 |
2.8 |
9.9 |
2.3 |
|
|
Therapists |
098-106 |
148 |
384,589 |
73.7 |
35.7 |
4.0 |
7.2 |
3.5 |
|
|
Clinical Laboratory & Technologists |
203, 208 |
248 |
608,753 |
70.6 |
32.5 |
4.3 |
8.9 |
2.2 |
|
|
Teachers |
113-159 |
1094 |
3,808,200 |
65.8 |
38.3 |
2.3 |
9.2 |
2.2 |
|
|
Social Workers & Psychologists |
167, 174 |
251 |
557,673 |
59.1 |
36.3 |
7.0 |
19.2 |
* |
|
|
Lawyers & Judges |
178-179 |
218 |
518,471 |
26.8 |
36.1 |
* |
19.1 |
* |
|
|
Writers, Designers, Artists & Athletes |
183, 185-188, 193-194, 199 |
365 |
685,560 |
39.3 |
33.8 |
13.1 |
19.1 |
5.6 |
|
|
Sales Supervisors |
243 |
988 |
2,592,808 |
36.0 |
34.0 |
7.6 |
15.1 |
5.2 |
|
|
Sales, Business Goods |
253-257 |
561 |
1,448,833 |
32.0 |
36.0 |
6.9 |
16.9 |
5.5 |
|
|
Sales Representatives |
259 |
346 |
856,482 |
22.7 |
35.6 |
7.2 |
13.0 |
8.4 |
|
|
Sales, Personal Goods |
263-274 |
745 |
1,288,840 |
47.6 |
32.5 |
9.8 |
16.5 |
5.3 |
|
|
Sales Clerks & Cashiers |
275-276 |
653 |
1,107,919 |
79.2 |
29.4 |
8.1 |
16.2 |
5.3 |
|
|
Supervisors, Administrative Support |
303-307 |
264 |
666,684 |
64.5 |
35.8 |
5.9 |
13.4 |
* |
|
|
Secretaries & Typists |
313-315 |
1331 |
2,150,965 |
99.1 |
34.9 |
5.4 |
10.3 |
1.4 |
|
|
Information Clerks |
317-323 |
360 |
564,855 |
91.7 |
31.5 |
5.5 |
19.6 |
3.3 |
|
|
Records Processing Clerks |
326-336 |
223 |
447,330 |
78.9 |
32.6 |
3.5 |
5.6 |
4.0 |
|
|
Postal Workers |
354-355 |
211 |
449,858 |
35.4 |
38.0 |
4.1 |
* |
6.8 |
|
|
Material Recording, Scheduling & Distributing Clerks |
359-374 |
569 |
1,079,103 |
38.4 |
32.6 |
6.5 |
16.3 |
8.8 |
|
|
Adjusters & Investigators |
375-376 |
439 |
966,461 |
67.4 |
32.7 |
6.4 |
15.2 |
3.7 |
|
|
General Office Clerks |
379 |
343 |
524,752 |
91.1 |
33.2 |
* |
12.6 |
6.9 |
|
|
Bank Tellers |
383 |
172 |
282,142 |
89.0 |
29.9 |
11.3 |
* |
1.5 |
|
|
Data Clerks |
384-386 |
233 |
344,765 |
74.8 |
31.7 |
3.2 |
11.6 |
0.8 |
|
|
Administrative Support |
389 |
253 |
556,072 |
75.5 |
35.8 |
2.2 |
* |
3.2 |
|
|
Household Workers |
403-407 |
167 |
194,442 |
97.4 |
30.6 |
5.5 |
* |
3.4 |
|
|
Child Care Workers |
406, 468 |
327 |
613,296 |
96.4 |
31.4 |
2.6 |
8.0 |
2.6 |
|
|
Police & Detectives |
418-424 |
369 |
913,428 |
12.4 |
33.7 |
1.0 |
2.4 |
10.8 |
|
|
Guards, Except Public Service |
425-427 |
308 |
364,734 |
7.7 |
30.7 |
6.2 |
18.0 |
9.5 |
|
|
Waiters & Waitresses |
435 |
420 |
664,565 |
80.1 |
28.1 |
15.4 |
28.9 |
12.1 |
|
|
Food Preparation |
436-444 |
814 |
1,435,838 |
43.4 |
31.4 |
16.3 |
27.6 |
16.3 |
|
|
Maids |
449 |
222 |
322,154 |
79.0 |
35.0 |
7.9 |
12.8 |
3.6 |
|
|
Janitors |
453 |
582 |
784,410 |
30.7 |
34.5 |
13.0 |
20.6 |
10.3 |
|
|
Hairdressers & Barbers |
457-458 |
233 |
391,611 |
82.6 |
35.6 |
6.9 |
17.2 |
3.1 |
|
|
Farm Occupations |
473-484 |
261 |
818,796 |
15.3 |
33.6 |
4.6 |
11.2 |
7.1 |
|
|
Groundskeepers & Gardeners |
486 |
256 |
411,483 |
6.3 |
28.9 |
11.4 |
21.0 |
9.8 |
|
|
Auto Mechanics |
505 |
366 |
838,505 |
0.4 |
34.5 |
12.8 |
24.7 |
16.3 |
|
|
Vehicle & Mobile Equip. Mechanics & Repairers |
505-519 |
704 |
1,813,618 |
2.0 |
34.4 |
9.5 |
17.0 |
14.9 |
|
|
Electrical Repairers |
523-534 |
237 |
636,077 |
3.6 |
35.6 |
5.5 |
13.7 |
4.6 |
|
|
Construction Supervisors |
553-558 |
241 |
868,944 |
1.2 |
35.4 |
17.2 |
25.9 |
12.7 |
|
|
Carpenters |
567-569 |
377 |
776,118 |
4.4 |
32.8 |
11.1 |
19.3 |
13.8 |
|
|
Electricians |
575-577 |
175 |
527,436 |
0.1 |
33.0 |
6.3 |
10.8 |
6.4 |
|
|
Painters, Plasterers & Plumbers |
579-587 |
308 |
565,195 |
7.7 |
33.7 |
18.3 |
|||
