Prevalence and health risk score of tobacco and alcohol use by using the World Health Organization Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test among construction workers in Puducherry, India

BACKGROUND: Construction workers are one of the important neglected occupation groups. The study aimed to assess the prevalence and health risk score of tobacco and alcohol use and its association with sociodemographic factors and self-reported morbidities among construction workers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 male construction workers in a tertiary care medical institution in Puducherry, India. A semi-structured questionnaire based on the World Health Organization Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) guidelines for assessment and health risk score of alcohol and tobacco use was used. The association of current tobacco and alcohol use with associated factors was analyzed by univariate analysis. RESULTS: About 371 male construction workers participated. The mean (standard deviation) age of construction workers was 28.28 (9.04) years. The prevalence of current tobacco and alcohol use was 60.1% (223/371) and 47.7% (177/371), respectively. Out of 133 smokers, 60.9% (81) were used only bidi, 27.1% (36) only cigarette, and 12% (16) both bidi and cigarette. Most of the workers (126/151 [83.4%]) used khaini among smokeless tobacco users. The majority (204/241 [84.6%]) of ever smokers and nearly half of alcohol users (103 [49.8%]) had moderate risk based on ASSIST score. Higher current tobacco consumption is associated with higher age group, married, lower education status, unskilled occupation, contractual workers, migrants from other states, more duration of work in construction field, and the presence of self-reported health problems (P < 0.05). Current alcohol consumption is associated with more duration of work in construction field and the presence of self-reported health problems (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco and alcohol use is high, and health risk due to substance use is also more in construction workers.