FACTORS INFLUENCING WORK-TIME ALCOHOL USE AMONG COMMERCIAL MOTORCYCLISTS IN IREPODUN/IFELODUN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, EKITI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Observation has shown that work-time alcohol use among commercial motorcyclists is on the increase. Thestudy investigatedthe regularity of work-time alcohol use andfactors influencing work-time alcohol use among commercial motorcyclists in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State. Descriptive research design of the survey type was used to conduct the study. Due to the transitory nature of the study group, convenience sampling technique was used to select 220 registered commercial motorcyclists. A validated structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha with item by itemreliability coefficient of

0.81. Administration of the questionnaire was done with the aid of three research assistants. Descriptive statistics of percentage was used to answer the research questions whileLinear logistic regression was used to determine the influencing factor that would most contribute to work-time alcohol use among the commercial motorcyclists. Finding shows that 36.8% of the respondents are more regular users of alcohol while the commonly used substances were ‘paraga’ 19.6% and beer 19.1%. Respondents used alcohol more regularly to ward off stress and to increase performance. The commonest sources for obtaining the substance are through hawkers and from motorcycle parks. It was recommended that sale of alcoholic substances should be prohibited in the parks and provision of recreation centres for relaxation of the commercial motorcyclists.