The relationship between smoking and unemployment has been shown in past researches and studies. A new study published by JAMA Internal Medicine may be a confirmation that such is the case.
The new study suggests that smokers who are looking for a job may find it harder to get hired. To add, the study reveals that when these smokers get hired, they are more likely to be paid $5 less an hour.
Authors of the study, led by Judith J. Prochaska, Ph.D., M.P.H., of Stanford University, California, studied the 251 unemployed job seekers in two counties in California. These number is composed of 131 daily smokers and 120 nonsmokers. The authors' aim is to find out the differences when it comes to reemployment via smoking status for 12 months.
Based on the results of the study, of the 251 participants, only 217 completed the 12-month follow-up surveys. Science Daily reports that "60 of 108 nonsmokers (55.6 percent) were reemployed compared with 29 of 109 smokers (26.6 percent). The results suggest nonsmokers were 30 percent more likely on average to be reemployed at one year compared with smokers."
To add, the results also show that those who do not smoke earn more when compared to smokers. The hourly average for nonsmokers is at $20.27 while that for smokers is only at an average of $15.10 per hour. When this amount is computed, the nonsmokers will most likely lose $8,300 annually.
The authors of the study gave the following conclusion: "As a 'one-stop shop' for employment resources, employment service agencies could raise awareness of tobacco-related costs, wage losses, health harms and associations with lower reemployment success and serve as a connector to low-cost cessation services such as state quit-lines."
Meanwhile, the participants of the study are composed of the following: 35.9 percent black, 38.2 percent white, 7.2 percent Asian, 9.6 percent Hispanic, and 9.2 percent multiracial or belonging to other races.
