Aussies who drink heavily tend to take more sick days

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-07-31 03:00

Australia; VIC; WA

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Aussies who drink heavily tend to take more time off work sick, according to Australian and Swedish researchers. They looked at data from the 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey of working Aussies aged between 20 and 69, splitting people into four categories based on how often they indulged in a heavy drinking session - never, less than monthly, monthly, or weekly. They then had a look at levels of absenteeism from work, whether due to alcohol overindulgence or due to other illnesses. Unsurprisingly, those who drank the most were the most likely to be off work due to alcohol, but they were also the most likely to be off work due to other illnesses, the researchers found. Policies that discourage heavy drinking and reduce alcohol consumption overall might help address workplace absenteeism, they conclude.