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Objectives. To examine spillover effects of job skills training (vs basic services only [e.g., adult basic education, job readiness training]) on substance misuse among lowincome youths with employment barriers.
Methods. Data came from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, a longitudinal cohort study of youths born between 1980 and 1984 in the United States. Based on respondents' reports of substance misuse (past-month binge drinking and past-year marijuana and other illicit drug use) from 2000 to 2016, we estimated substance misuse trajectories of job skills training (n = 317) and basic services (n = 264) groups. We accounted for potential selection bias by using inverse probability of treatment weighting.
Results. Compared with the basic services group, the job skills training group showed notable long-term reductions in its illicit drug misuse trajectory, translating to a 56.9% decrease in prevalence rates from 6.5% in year 0 to 2.8% in year 16.
Conclusions. Job skills training can be an important service component for reducing substance misuse and improving employment outcomes among youths with economic disadvantages and employment barriers. (Am J Public Health. 2020;110:900-906. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2020.305631)
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Today, more than 40 million persons in the United States live in poverty.1 These individuals are at heightened risk for substance-related problems because they are likely to endure multiple adverse life conditions such as material hardship, unemployment, and physical and mental health problems.2,3 For example, nearly 20% of male and 10% of female adults in households receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits because of low income (i.e., < $800 per month for a family of 3 in a majority of states4) had a past-year substance use disorder, rates 2 times higher than their nonpoor, nonrecipient counterparts.5 In addition, those in poverty often lack access to adequate substance abuse treatment given their increased likelihood of being uninsured and the financial burdens of seeking treatment.6,7 Their increased risk for substance misuse and barriers to receiving treatment impede their chances of achieving self-sufficiency and raise public health concerns.
To address substance misuse and cooccurring life barriers, enhancing employment among low-income populations is essential. A more stable and better-paying job can help improve physical and behavioral health by addressing chronic and acute life stressors including material hardship, greater job...