This survey of alcohol and drug use and impairment in the airline industry is a prospective longitudinal study to be carried out in annual consecutive cross-sectional surveys over a 3-year period. The purpose of this study is to provide the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) with information on the magnitude of substance abuse problems among selected airline employees in safety-critical positions, its impact, and the effectiveness of current prevention and treatment programs. The most basic need for information on substance abuse in any industry is for data on prevalence, impact, and treatment. The baseline survey for this study will provide: the first ever information in the airline industry on the prevalence of alcohol and drug use, problems related to use such as workplace impact, and success of current prevention and treatment programs in the airline industry. We developed a set of 15 baseline research questions, and associated hypotheses and data endpoints which will guide the entire baseline research effort. The longitudinal design will allow us to make trend comparisons and develop special studies to investigate provocative relationships uncovered at the time of the baseline and thereafter. We will seek to identify predictors, produce estimates of prevalence and incidence (defined as estimated net new cases), and quantify changes in use and impairment in safety-critical positions in the airline industry. The information gained will be used to influence legislative actions and to improve existing prevention and treatment programs. The results of this study will enable Congress, taxpayers, other governmental agencies, and the airline industry itself to benefit from NIDA's commitment to eradicating alcohol and drug related safety concerns in the airline industry and will vastly improve both the public perception and the actual level of safety in the skies.
