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Military
Work and Drinking: Risks and Prevention
Principal Investigator:
Genevieve Ames, Ph.D.
The
influence of the military workplace on drinking beliefs, behaviors,
and problems of enlisted personnel and officers is unclear
and comparatively under explored. Building on recent theoretical
developments, this study focuses on elements of the work environment
and workplace culture.
It
will:
- Observe
both work- and non-work-related drinking patterns among
an enlisted and officer workforce;
- Observe
the effects of alcohol consumption on alcohol-related
problems both at work and in general;
- Examine
drinking and drinking problems in relation to individual
background characteristics and psychosocial factors;
- Analyze
the relationship between drinking and work environments
with guidance from a theoretical model that emphasizes
social control, alcohol availability, and stress factors;
- Investigate
the effects of social and cultural characteristics of
military life on alcohol beliefs, expectancies, and behaviors;
and
- Analyze
how gender and ethnicity influence drinking and drinking
problems within the context of military and occupational
culture, and conversely, how individual and/or group drinking
is related to behavior that may be defined as harassing
or abusive.
This
5-year study of United States Navy personnel uses a variety
of data collection methods: ethnography, survey, and archival.
Researchers will conduct a minimum of 100 semi-structured,
in-person interviews; observe regular enlisted and officer
personnel in geographically dispersed work settings; administer
a survey to approximately 3,500 regular enlistees and officers,
with an over sampling of women and minorities in order to
improve statistical power; and collect archival data on relevant
problem areas within the entire Navy population. This assessment
of drinking and drinking problems takes place in an occupational
culture that combines military and public safety work. Therefore,
research findings and recommendations for prevention will
be applicable in both civilian and military settings.
Proceed
to PRC CD Presentation featuring Dr. Genevieve Ames
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