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Young Adult Food Service Workers: Alcohol Use & Risks
Principal Investigator:
Genevieve Ames, Ph.D.
The overall goal of this study is to gain an understanding of the influence of the workplace on patterns of alcohol use, and resulting problems, among young adults in the restaurant industry, a food service work force at high risk for alcohol-related problems. We seek to identify specific characteristics of occupational culture, in combination with personal backgrounds, that put young adults at risk for heavier and problematic drinking. We address this goal with the following objectives: (1) to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use patterns and alcohol problems in this workforce, both work-related and non-work-related; (2) to investigate effects of alcohol use patterns on health and social problems (e.g., absenteeism, injuries, hangovers) both at work and generally; (3) to examine drinking in relation to individuals' personal background characteristics (gender, ethnicity, age, family , kinship, and social group drinking); (4) to analyze the relationship between work environment and alcohol use, with a focus on major conceptual areas of social control (e.g., relevant policies, procedures for enforcement, visibility, and mobility), availability (social and physical access to alcohol), and stress factors; and (5) to assess the impact of characteristics of restaurant culture (including specific cultural factors such as rituals, role modeling and drinking groups) on normative beliefs, expectancies and behaviors in the domain of alcohol use. To meet our study goals, we shall conduct mixed-method research with randomly selected young adults working in kitchen, waitstaff, bussing, and bartending roles in Applebee's chain restaurants found throughout the United Stated. The research design calls for a 5-year study using multiple methods and research stages including: (1) 100 ethnographic interviews and on-site observations to assess research objectives in the context of work cultures, and (2) a survey conducted with 1,200 randomly selected employees to assess prevalence and correlates of drinking practices and related problems; these correlates would include such elements of our conceptual model as policy, availability, and stress. The findings from this project will provide a better understanding of characteristics of work environments that influence drinking patterns and problems of young adults in the food service industry. The study will provide guidelines for the development of culturally relevant prevention programs.
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