Employment insecurity and binge drinking in the United States: Implications of unemployment insurance.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine whether employment transitions are associated with within-person variation in binge drinking and whether unemployment insurance may buffer this risk.

METHODS

Using 19 waves of data from the Understanding America Study (May 2020-March 2021; N = 1710) in the United States, mixed-effects models examined within-person associations between employment transitions and binge drinking days. Postestimation contrasts evaluated restorative changes associated with upward employment transitions.

RESULTS

Shifts from secure employment to underemployment (β = 0.033, p < .10) or unemployment without benefits (β = 0.055, p < .10) were associated with more binge drinking. Loss of benefits while unemployed (β = 0.130, p < .05) and remaining unemployed without benefits (β = 0.083, p < .01) were also associated with more binge drinking. Patterns consistent with restorative changes were observed only for shifts to secure employment and not for those involving underemployment. Gaining unemployment benefits while unemployed was also associated with less binge drinking, compared to remaining unemployed without benefits (β = -0.116, p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Employment transitions are differentially associated with binge drinking. Underemployment may represent a distinct state for alcohol-related risk, and unemployment insurance may mitigate binge drinking during employment insecurity.