Citation

Casanova C, Berger F, Meynard JB, Apostolidis T, Michel R. Sante Publique 2018; 30(5): 601-610.

Vernacular Title

Représentations sociales de l'alcool au sein de la Marine nationale.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, SFSP)

DOI

10.3917/spub.186.0601

PMID

30767476

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The misuse of alcohol has harmful social and health impacts within a population. The French military must be particularly vigilant with alcohol, due to specificities linked with weaponry. This study was designed to explore social representations of alcohol based on a sample of the French Navy in order to prioritize prevention focuses on alcohol misuses in a military environment.

METHODS: A semi-directed interview-based exploratory study was conducted in the south of France at the end of 2015. Data was submitted to manual categorical analysis and textual analysis (Iramuteq software).

RESULTS: Sixty-two marines from the French Navy were interviewed including 30 Navy and 32 Marine Firefighters. Data analysis indicated that the motivation to consume alcohol comes more from a social influence (extrinsic motivations) than for pleasure induced by alcohol effects (intrinsic motivations). For Navy personnel, the sense of belonging to the Navy is strengthened by drinking habits with a strong social cohesion. In contrast, the Marine Firefighters had a negative perception of alcohol because of a possible degradation of their professional image for the civilian population.

CONCLUSION: The identification of social representations of alcohol allows for a better apprehension of drinking behavior within a French military population, particularly by focusing on content and organization of discourses about alcohol. Following this survey, a quantitative study is currently being drawn up among military personnel from the French Navy in order to clarify some of the elements identified and presented within this article.

Language: fr