O-351 Identifying Harmful Alcohol Use in the Swedish Workforce

Introduction Alcohol consumption can result in great harm and cause tremendous expenses. Identifying at-risk groups and informing effective prevention is therefore imperative. The current study aims to identify what professions/branches in Sweden are more likely to report harmful use of alcohol and to investigate to what extend this can be attributed to individual and work-related characteristics, as well as how these trends have developed over time. Methods A repeated cross-sectional study was conducted including all participants of the survey of Health, Work Environment, and Lifestyle Habits between 2010-2022 (n= 310 000), collected by an occupational health service company (Feelgood). The survey contained information on alcohol use, profession/branch, physical and psychosocial work environment, mental health, and other relevant factors. Results Preliminary results suggest that individuals working in the restaurant and construction sectors are at the highest prevalence of harmful alcohol consumption. Several common characteristics relating to health, lifestyle, and work environment were found. Discussion Although several preventive efforts have been implemented with regard to harmful alcohol in the workforce, some professions remain at a high risk. The Covid-19 Pandemic appeared to have limited effect on harmful alcohol use, especially among professions where distance work was possible. Conclusion We identified groups in the Swedish workforce where harmful alcohol use is highly prevalent and to what extend modifiable risk factors contribute to this problematic behavior. This information can be used to target alcohol use screening programs and for public health interventions.