TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2006//
TI  - Estimating the cost of alcohol-related absenteeism in the Australian workforce: The importance of consumption patterns
JO  - Medical journal of Australia
A1  - Pidd, Kenneth J.
A1  - Berry, Jesia G.
A1  - Roche, A. M.
A1  - Harrison, James Edward
SP  - 637
EP  - 641
VL  - 185
IS  - 11-12
N2  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the extent and cost of alcohol-related absenteeism in the Australian workforce. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of select data obtained from 13 582 Australian workers (aged > or = 14 years) collected as part of the 2001 National Drug Strategy Household Survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported measures of alcohol-related absenteeism, illness or injury absenteeism and alcohol consumption categorised according to National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines for short- and long-term risk. RESULTS: The use of self-reported measures of alcohol-related absenteeism resulted in an estimate of 2,682,865 work days lost due to alcohol use in 2001, at a cost of 437 million dollars. The use of self-reported measures of illness or injury absenteeism to determine the extent of absenteeism attributable to alcohol use resulted in an estimate of 7,402,341 work days lost, at a cost of 1 .2 billion dollars. These estimates are about 12 to 34 times greater than previous estimates based on national data. Low-risk drinkers and infrequent or occasional risky and high-risk drinkers accounted for 49%-66% of alcohol-related absenteeism. CONCLUSIONS: The extent and cost of alcohol-related absenteeism is far greater than previously reported, and more than half the burden of alcohol-related absenteeism is incurred by low-risk drinkers and those who infrequently drink heavily.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0025-729X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -