Association Between Employment and Substance Abuse Behaviors Among Public High School Adolescents

• NCJ Number: 182602
• Journal: Journal of Adolescent Health Volume: 25 Issue: 4 Dated: October 1999 Pages: 256-263
• Author(s): Robert F. Valois Ph.D.; Ashley C. A Dunham MSPH; Kirby L. Jackson A.B.; Jennifer Waller Ph.D.
• Date Published: October 1999
• Length: 8 pages
• Contract Number(s): U63/CCU 802750-03
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services; South Carolina Dept of Education
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC

Annotation

This article examines the association between employment and substance abuse behaviors among public high school adolescents.

Abstract

The article examines the relationship between after-school and weekend employment and substance abuse behaviors in a cross-sectional sample of 4,800 public high school students in South Carolina. Thirty percent of white males, 29 percent of white females, and 20 percent of black males and females worked at a job for pay during the academic year. For white males employment, ranging from 11 to 15 hours and 26 to approximately 31 hours was associated with cigarette smoking, working from 11 to approximately 31 hours was associated with alcohol use, working approximately 31 hours was associated with binge drinking, working from 26 to approximately 31 hours was associated with marijuana use and working from 26 to 30 hours was associated with cocaine use. For white females, working from 16 to 20 hours was associated with alcohol use, working from 21 to 30 hours was associated with binge drinking and working from 26 to 30 hours was associated with marijuana and cocaine use. Tables, references