This proposal seeks a training opportunity through a 3-year structured research experience. The proposed research involves an examination into the association between workplace culture, alcohol use, and occupational injuries. The relationship between alcohol use and occupational injuries and the relationship between alcohol use and workplace culture have been the focus of studies, while current research efforts have not focused on the possible modifying effects that workplace culture has an occupational injuries and alcohol use. Research has revealed that 1) alcohol use is a factor in many injuries and some occupational injuries; 2) alcohol may influence workplace injury risk in both acute alcohol and chronic effects such as hangovers; and 3) workplace culture shapes the """"""""norms"""""""" towards alcohol use. The major hypotheses to be tested include the positive association between workplace culture towards drinking and occupational injuries. That is, a workplace culture that tolerates or encourage alcohol use is associated with increased incidences of occupational injuries. Data from existing large surveys on corporate drinking will be used to begin a prospective study. Survey results on workplace culture and alcohol use from similar worksites will be matched with the occupational injury records from the worksites. Mixed linear modeling and regression analysis will be used to analyze the results by developing a model that will correlate the incidences of occupational injuries at each worksite as a function of the variables that measure workplace culture towards drinking. The model would then be used to establish associations and characterize the relationship.
