Effect of favorable employment change on alcohol abuse: One- and five-year follow-ups in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth

Job loss has been linked to adverse outcomes such as alcohol abuse, but improved employment, usually assumed to be beneficial has seldom been evaluated and may not help with addictive disorders. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, young adults who were unemployed or underemployed (low income or involuntary part-time) in 1984 were followed up in 1985 and 1989. Controlling for 1984 alcohol abuse, there were no effects of positive employment change on 1985 symptoms, but there were significant restorative effects on 1985 binge drinking among those who were heavy, drinkers in 1984. There also appeared to be an indirect link of favorable 1984-1985 employment change to heavy drinking in 1989 via 1989 employment status. Because the effects of underemployment partially resembled those of unemployment, the discussion cautions against the conventional wisdom of promoting arty work, including underemployment as curative for the ills of unemployment.