The present study aimed to describe the alcohol consumption of a hundred workers of the garbage collection service in the peripheral South region of São Paulo, SP, Brazil. The Transversal Study was adopted as the theoretical-methodological referential. Data were collected through the questionnaire QRCAP, based on the questionnaire AUDIT. The results showed that 94% of the interviewees ingest some kind of alcoholic beverage, while 15% were considered dependents. Peer pressure was pointed as the main reason to initiate the habit (46%). A total of 67% of the interviewees had already felt some symptom as the result of the ingestion of alcohol and 80% reported to be afraid of getting mentally ill due to the vice. External and internal situations were reported as the precursors of alcohol consumption. However, it was evidenced that the lack of orientation and information contributes for the prevalence of this illness.
alcoholism; housekeeping; occupational health; nursing
