Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of the use of alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and various medications among flying crew and clerks working in a ministry in Kuwait.
Methods: In a cross-sectional study, a self-administered questionnaire was filled in by 277 flying crew and 302 clerks of a comparable age and gender ratio.
Results: Frequencies of using alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and various medications were much higher among flying crew as compared to clerks. Flying crew were a very homogenous group in terms of exposure to the substances studied with only two exceptions: younger people were more likely to drink alcohol abroad (but not in Kuwait), and cabin crew relied on herbal medicine more than pilots.
Conclusions: Flying crew differ very much from a socially comparable segment of the local population, but it is not possible to discern the impact of occupational risks (jet leg and night shifts) from exposure to foreign influences and, as for alcohol and sedatives, from easier availability.