The effectiveness of preemployment drug screening in the prediction of employment outcome.
Studies of adverse employment outcomes associated with positive preemployment drug screens have tracked employees for only about 1 year. Changes in drug use after hire may invalidate the predictions of employment outcome in later years which are essential for cost-benefit analyses. This blinded, prospective cohort study tracks absence, industrial accidents, occupational injuries, discipline, and turnover in 2537 screened employees through an average of 2 years. Marijuana-positive urines predicted increased turnover, accidents, injuries, discipline, and absence, but these risks appeared lower in the second year than the first. Cocaine-positive urines predicted increased turnover, accidents, injuries, discipline, and absence at levels not consistently different than the first year. Cost-benefit analyses of drug screening project employment risks throughout employees' careers. This study raises the possibility that elevated risks may decrease after the first year.
Ryan
J
J
East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Mass.
Zwerling
C
C
Jones
M
M
D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011177:Postal Service / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology