Smoking and alcohol use in unemployed populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: Unemployment is an economic and social phenomenon that has economic, social, personal, and health consequences. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between unemployment and alcohol use and smoking as a systematic review and meta-analysis. Method: The two databases PubMed and Scopus were selected for the search and using a set of keywords, these two sources of scientific information were searched from 2004 to June 2021 and 1996 until June 2021, respectively. To meta-analyze the relationship between unemployment and smoking and alcohol use, odds ratio and confidence interval were calculated for this relationship. The meta-analysis was performed based on a random-effects. Subgroups were also performed for men and women. Heterogeneity in studies as well as publication bias were also examined. Result: A total of 52 cross-sectional and cohort studies were included in the meta-analysis. In the relationship between unemployment and alcohol use, the odds ratio was 1.25 and the confidence interval was between 1.12 and 1.41. In the relationship between unemployment and smoking, the odds ratio was 1.43 and the confidence interval was between 1.13 and 1.81. Discussion: According to the results, it can be said that unemployment increases the likelihood of alcohol use and smoking. Therefore, policymakers must pay more attention to the health consequences of economic problems, especially unemployment.