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Dissertation
An empirical evaluation of the legal assumption underlying workplace-based drug and alcohol testing: results from a comparison of random and non-random testing programs at a large transportation agency
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Hahnemann University; Villanova University, School of Law
Aug 1995
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00009051
Abstract
A retrospective study of sequential non-random and random drug and alcohol testing programs used drug testing and treatment results and data on accidents, passenger and personal injuries for 16,000 employees at a large transportation agency (Agency) to evaluate empirically the legal assumptions underlying workplace based testing. During a four year period, employees identified as drug and alcohol users through testing and treatment averaged 139% more vehicular accidents than a matched group of employees not identified as users (6.58 vs. 4.73, respectively) and 173% more personal injuries (1.28 vs..74, respectively). Although the prevalence rate of psychoactive substance use, estimated by the number of employees identified as drug and alcohol users through testing and treatment over the total number of employees, declined by nearly 50% during the non-random testing program (1987 to 1989) and the subsequent random testing program (1990 to 1993), there was a 250% increase in the prevalence rate, from 2.1% in the final year of the non-random testing program (1989) to 5.2% in the first year of the random testing program (1990). Rates of vehicular accidents and passenger injuries for the workforce as a whole increased during the non-random program, but displayed decreasing trends during the random program. The results support the legal assumptions that drug and alcohol use is connected with harmful consequences in the workplace, that drug and alcohol testing is an effective means of addressing the problem, and that random testing is more effective than non-random testing.
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Details
- Title
- An empirical evaluation of the legal assumption underlying workplace-based drug and alcohol testing
- Creators
- Drew Carlson Messer
- Awarding Institution
- Hahnemann University; Villanova University, School of Law
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Hahnemann University; Villanova University, School of Law; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- 167 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Hahnemann University (1982-1993); Mental Health (Technology/Sciences) [Historical]; School of Health Sciences and Humanities (1988-1993); Psychology [Historical]
- Other Identifier
- 991021888911904721