Alcohol use and health behavior among nursing professionals

Cross-sectional study conducted at a general hospital. A questionnaire with socio-demographic information, the alcohol and substance use screening test, and a questionnaire on health behavior were applied.

Results:

A total of 416 professionals participated in the study. In the final model of logistical regression, male professionals (OR 4.3), singles (OR 3.7), those that professed to having other religions (OR 3.8), worked as nursing technician (OR 2.3), did not consume low doses of alcoholic beverages per day (OR 2.0), used tobacco (OR 8.9), avoided consuming beverages with caffeine (OR 1.9) and avoided noisy environments (OR 2.0) showed higher chances of consuming alcohol at a problematic level.

Conclusion:

Among nursing professionals, the use of alcohol and not engaging in health behavior are strongly associated. These findings have implications for the implementation of strategies for the promotion of health and the prevention of alcohol use in work relationships.

DESCRIPTORS
Substance-Related Disorders; Occupational Health Promotion; Nursing Team

		AUDIT C				Total		p Value
		Abstemious		Low risk/risk		Total
		N	%	N	%	N	%
Sex	Female	187	53.4	163	46.6	350	100.0	χ²(1)=10.315 p < 0.001^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
Sex	Male	19	31.1	42	68.9	61	100.0
Marital Status	Married	154	54.6	128	45.4	282	100.0	χ²(2)=7.440 p = 0.024^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
	Single	45	39.5	69	60.5	114	100.0
	Window	5	50.0	5	50.0	10	100.0
Religion	Catholic	76	42.9	101	57.1	177	100.0	χ²(3)=46.219 p < 0.001^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
	Evangelical	90	75.0	30	25.0	120	100.0
	Spiritist	27	40.9	39	59.1	66	100.0
	Others	9	23.7	29	76.3	38	100.0
Education	Primary	5	71.4	2	28.6	7	100.0	χ²(2)=8.956 p = 0.011^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
	Secondary	73	60.3	48	39.7	121	100.0
	Higher	101	44.7	125	55.3	226	100.0
Position held	Auxiliary nurse	47	40.9	68	59.1	115	100.0	χ²(2)=12.113 p = 0.002^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
	Nursing Technician	116	58.3	83	41.7	199	100.0
	Nurse	37	41.1	53	58.9	90	100.0
Period of work	Morning	88	52.1	81	169	47,9	100.0	χ²(2) =0.755 p = 0.686
	Afternoon	58	65	47.2	52.8	123	100.0
	Night	52	49	51.5	48.5	101	100.0

		Profession						Total		p Value
		Auxiliary Nurse		Technician		Nurse		Total
		n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Consumption of alcohol in the last 12 months	No	36	19.3	105	56.1	46	24.6	187	100.0	χ²(2)=3.255 p = 0.196
Consumption of alcohol in the last 12 months	Yes	37	16.8	111	50.5	72	32.7	220	100.0	χ²(2)=3.255 p = 0.196
Do not consume more than two units of alcohol per day	No	15	9.5	81	51.3	62	39.2	158	100.0	χ²(2)=16.727 p< 0.001^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
Do not consume more than two units of alcohol per day	Yes	44	23.8	97	52.4	44	23.8	185	100.0
Avoid taking tranquilizers	No	47	16.9	132	47.5	99	35.6	278	100.0	χ²(2)=10.019 p= 0.007^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
Avoid taking tranquilizers	Yes	15	19.5	49	63.6	13	16.9	77	100.0
Avoid taking stimulants, like amphetamines	No	51	16.6	151	49.2	105	34.2	307	100.0	χ²(2)=10.222 p = 0.006^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
Avoid taking stimulants, like amphetamines	Yes	10	17.2	40	69.0	8	13.8	58	100.0
Avoid taking medication without medical prescription	No	39	15.4	134	53.0	80	31.6	253	100.0	χ²(2)=2.335 p = 0.311
Avoid taking medication without medical prescription	Yes	25	205	66	54.1	31	25.4	122	100.0	χ²(2)=2.335 p = 0.311
Tobacco	Yes	52	16.8	160	51.8	97	31.4	309	100.0	χ²(2)=5.397 p = 0.067
Tobacco	No	8	364	8	36.4	6	27.3	22	100.0	χ²(2)=5.397 p = 0.067
Avoid smoking	No	48	15.7	156	51.0	102	33.3	306	100.0	χ²(2)=7.836 p = 0.020^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
Avoid smoking	Yes	11	24.4	28	62.2	6	13.3	45	100.0

		AUDIT-C				p Value
		Abstemious		Low risk/risk
		N	%	N	%
Practice intense physical exercise for at least 20 minutes per day, twice or more times per week	No	64	41.8	89	58.2	χ²(1)=4.046 p = 0.044^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
	Yes	176	51.6	165	48.4
Practices a sport that makes you sweat, at least twice a week (running, swimming, basketball or football)	No	40	36.0	71	64.0	χ²(1)=9.600 p = 0.002^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
	Yes	204	52.7	183	47.3
Maintain up-to-date immunization records	No	209	49.5	213	50.5	χ²(1)=4.592 p = 0.032^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
Maintain up-to-date immunization records	Yes	25	35.7	45	64.3
Avoid eating fatty foods	No	142	55.0	116	45.0	χ²(1)=8.810 p = 0.003^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
Avoid eating fatty foods	Yes	97	41.6	136	58.4
Avoid consuming beverages like tea, coffee or coca-cola due to the potential effects of caffeine	No	85	56.7	65	43.3	χ²(1)=6.378 p = 0.012^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
	Yes	152	44.3	191	55.7
Avoid very noisy environments	No	177	53.5	154	46.5	χ²(1)=11.270 p < 0.001^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
Avoid very noisy environments	Yes	61	37.4	102	62.6
Do not drink more than two units of alcohol per day	No	79	36.9	135	63.1	χ²(1)=11.120 p < 0.001^* Note: Chi-squared test χ2 (degree of freedom). N = 416. (*p value ≤ 0.05).
Do not drink more than two units of alcohol per day	Yes	128	52.5	116	47.5

Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Enfermagem Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419 , 05403-000 São Paulo - SP/ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 3061-7553, - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: reeusp@usp.br

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[1] Corresponding author: Marcelle Aparecida de Barros Junqueira, Av. Pará, 1720 - Campus Umuarama, Bloco 2U, Sala 19, CEP 38400-902 - Uberlândia, MG, Brazil marcellebarros@ufu.br