[Taking drugs in the working environment: a study in a sample of 2106 workers in the Toulouse metropolitan area].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and characteristics of "supportive" drug use and addictive behaviour in the working environment.


METHODS
In May 2000, 2106 workers were asked to complete an anonymous self-questionnaire during their annual compulsory examination to assess their aptitude for work. Data collected concerned socioprofessional characteristics, perceived stress, job satisfaction and satisfaction outside of the workplace, and the use of licit psychoactive substances (alcohol, coffee, drugs) to face up to job strain.


RESULTS
One-third of workers used drugs in the context of work: 20% used drugs to be in good form at work, 12% used drugs at the workplace for an awkward symptom, and 18% used drugs to relax after a difficult day's work. This use concerned mainly psycholeptic drugs, which were combined with caffeine and alcohol. This behaviour and nicotine dependence were more frequent in employees and manual workers. Apart from alcohol use, psychological distress and female gender were associated with such behaviour.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of medications or other licit psychoactive substances in order to face up to work difficulties is a frequent phenomenom, which concerned one-third of this sample of the French working population. Our results give an initial estimation of this little known "doping" behaviour.
Lapeyre-Mestre
Maryse
M
Service de Pharmacologie Clinique, EA 3696, Unité de Pharmacoépidémiology, IFR 126, Faculté de Médecine, Toulouse, France. lapeyre@cict.fr
Sulem
Patrick
P
Niezborala
Michel
M
Ngoundo-Mbongue
Théodore Bienvenu
TB
Briand-Vincens
Dominique
D
Jansou
Pierre
P
Bancarel
Yannick
Y
Chastan
Evelyne
E
Montastruc
Jean-Louis
JL
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D017132:Workplace
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs