The Occupational Risks of Alcoholism

The occupations of 6,596 psychiatric admissions with alcoholism were analyzed and their admission rates compared with occupational death rates due to cirrhosis of the liver. Two thirds of occupations with high admission rates had correspondingly high cirrhosis death rates but a dozen occupations had low admission rates and high liver cirrhosis death rates, suggesting a degree of heavy drinking which is not treated. Low-risk occupations are identified and their characteristics discussed.