This study is aimed at to evaluate the hypothesis that recent migration and work in the petrochemical industry are associated with heavy alcohol consumption, and that education and family income are relevant effect modifiers of this association. The study was based on a random sample of 452 head of families, from 18-60 years of age, drawn from a household health survey conducted in an industrial area of Bahia, Brazil. Only those who reported to have a job in the industry were eligible for this study (n = 299). Individuals with heavy alcohol consumption were identified based on the Questionário de Morbidade Psiquiátrica de Adultos (Questionnaire of Adult Psychiatric Morbidity), QMPA, completed by trained interviewers with key-informants in each family. Recent migrants were defined as those with less than two years of residency at the research site. The prevalence of alcohol abuse was significantly higher among petrochemical workers and recent migrants. The subgroup of recent migrant petrochemical workers had a prevalence 3.4 times higher than the comparison group of workers. Both recent migration and petrochemical jobs are potential risk factors for alcohol abuse. Apparently, there is a synergistic effect between these two variables for alcohol abuse. Results suggested that education may be protective only among non-recent migrants.
Migration; Workers; Petrochemical industry; Alcoholism; Socioeconomic factors
