Alcohol consumption and cognitive impairment of attention and memory in construction workers

Abstract

Objective: To describe the levels of cognitive impairment in attention and memory in  construction workers with alcohol consumption, residents of a town in southeastern Mexico.

Material and Methods: The research had a quantitative, cross-sectional and descriptive approach. The sample was selected by convenience. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test [AUDIT] was used to determine the level of alcohol consumption and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test [MoCA] was used to identify cognitive impairment of attention and memory.

Results: according to the results, 43% of the participants showed a level of alcohol dependence. With respect to the cognitive functions assessed, it was determined that 53% of the workers assessed were globally at a level of mild cognitive impairment. When evaluating attention, 50% reached the normal level and 50% presented mild cognitive impairment. For memory, 43% of the participants were at the level of moderate impairment or probable dementia.

Conclusions: the prevalence rates in the levels of memory impairment in the population with alcohol consumption studied are significant, aggravating the situation in construction employees where this function is essential to perform daily tasks that if not performed properly put the lives of all employees at risk.

Keywords: Alcoholic beverage consumption, Cognition; Memory; Workers.