Introduction Workers often drink alcohol for releasing stress. However, many reports show that heavy drinking is a risk of depression. Some mentioned the influence of not only the amount of drinking alcohol but also the wrong way of using alcohol like binge drinking should be examined. Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) can evaluate the way of one’s using alcohol and the amount of drinking. Thus it is able to examine the more accurate influence of alcohol for depression.

In this study, we analysed the relationship between AUDIT score and depression from work-related stress by The Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ).

Methods 4799 workers in a manufacturing company participated in this study. We analysed the data obtained from 4709 male employees without any missing value in logistic analysis and categorised depression as the dependent variable (13:high score group, 12≧: low score group), AUDIT score (0–14: group I, 15–19: group II, 20-: group III), job status (managerial or not), overtime work (per month, <40 hours: mild, 40–80 hours: middle, >80 hours: severe), quantitative overload (high/middle/low), qualitative overload (high/middle/low), stress with interpersonal relationships (high/middle/low), and job control (high/middle/low), as independent variables.

Results Depression tended to be higher in group II of AUDIT(OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.96, p=0.54) and group III (OR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.36 to 4.42, p=0.003). About overtime-work, the severe group was more depressive than mild group (OR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.45 to 3.90, p<0.001). More qualitative overload caused stronger depression (OR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.43 to 4.22, p<0.001). Stress with interpersonal relationships also was related to depression (OR: 9.49, 95% CI: 4.94 to 18.22, p<0.001).

Conclusion Higher AUDIT score seemed to show higher risk of developing depression. The wrong way of using alcohol may be an exacerbating factor of depression. We should be careful to drinking on the purpose of releasing stress.