Women, alcohol and work: Interactions of gender, ethnicity and occupational culture

Patterns of alcohol use are affected by culture and history and intertwined with the rhythms of work life. The 20th century economic shift toward industrial and service jobs coupled with the increasing presence of women in the workplace has revolutionized U.S. women's domestic and public roles [1], and these changes have impacted their drinking behavior [2]. In addition, in a multicultural society like the United States, subcultures, ethnic groups, socioeconomic classes, and even job categories have their own sets of gendered drinking norms. Patterns of alcohol use among women can be better understood with consideration of intricate interactions among gender, ethnicity, class, employment, and alcohol consumption. Stepping up to the need to learn more about these factors, we have reviewed literature about ethnic, class, occupational, and gender influences on women's workplace-related drinking. This report on that review will show both the complexity of the phenomenon and the inconsistent, incomplete nature of existing information, as well as pointing out directions for future research. We begin with a general discussion of women and workplace drinking.