Workplace Discrimination Is Associated With Alcohol Abuse Among Ethnically Diverse Hospital Staff

• Published in: Workplace health & safety Vol. 64; no. 5; pp. 202 - 209
• Main Authors: Thrasher, Angela D., Wells, Anita M., Spencer, S. Melinda, Cofie, Leslie, Yen, Irene H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-05-2016
• Subjects: Adult; Alcoholism - ethnology; Continental Population Groups - psychology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cultural Diversity; Ethnic Groups - psychology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Nursing; Personnel, Hospital - psychology; Prospective Studies; Self Report; Social Discrimination; Stress, Psychological - ethnology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Workplace - psychology; disparities; discrimination; employees; alcohol abuse; race/ethnicity
• ISSN: 2165-0799; 2165-0969
• DOI: 10.1177/2165079916628878

Research suggests that workplace discrimination plays a role in absenteeism, productivity, and turnover. A link among workplace discrimination, mental health, and health disparities may also exist. The purpose of this study was to determine whether self-reported workplace discrimination is associated with alcohol abuse among hospital workers. Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data collected from a prospective cohort study of workers in two healthcare institutions (n = 664) was conducted. Workplace discrimination in the previous 12 months was reported by 14% (n = 91) of participants who were four times more likely to score higher on likely alcohol abuse than their peers. White participants who reported any discrimination were more likely to score higher on likely alcohol abuse than racial/ethnic minority participants who reported any discrimination. Given a diversifying workforce, further research is needed on how workplace discrimination contributes to stress and maladaptive coping, and ultimately health disparities.