title: Tobacco use among the job-seeking unemployed in California.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Given the current economic climate, with 8.1% unemployment nationally and 10.6% among the Californian labor force in August 2012, employers can be more selective in their hiring decisions, and individuals who smoke may be at a serious economic disadvantage. The current study examined the association between cigarette smoking and employment status among adults in California, a state with strong antitobacco sentiment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional data were analyzed from the 2007 and 2009 California Health Interview Survey on 68,501 noninstitutionalized adults age 20-65.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The job-seeking unemployed had the highest smoking prevalence (20.9%) relative to the non-job-seeking unemployed (15.9%) and employed (14.8%). In a multivariate multinomial logistic regression that controlled for demographic factors and other risk characteristics (obesity, binge drinking), current (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.23, 95% CI=1.01-1.49) but not former smoking status (AOR=0.95, 95% CI=0.76-1.19) was significantly associated with being unemployed and job-seeking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smokers in California were more likely than never and former smokers to be unemployed. Employment service agencies may be well placed for reaching smokers and treating tobacco dependence.
authors: Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA. jpro@stanford.edu
authors: Judith J
authors: JJ
authors: Prochaska
authors: Yanling
authors: Y
authors: Shi
authors: Amy
authors: A
authors: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007586:Job Application; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult