Associations between Work Experience and Betel Nut, Alcohol, or Tobacco Use among Low-Income Taiwanese Students from Middle School to University

Abstract

Background: Research suggests that young working students are at higher risk for substance use. However, most studies have focused on students from middle-class families, with few investigations conducted on substance use by students from low-income families. Objective: To examine the associations between work experience and betel nut, alcohol, or tobacco (BAT) use among Taiwanese students from low-income families. Methods: The data for this cross-sectional study were derived from the fourth wave of the Taiwan Panel Study of Children and Youth survey which provides primary data on low-income families. A total of 3,350 low-income students aged 12–25 years old from middle school to university participated. The χ² test was performed to examine differences in sociodemographic characteristics and BAT use between employed and unemployed students. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the associations between work status, work intensity, monthly income, occupation, and BAT use. Results: Employed students displayed higher BAT use than those who were unemployed. Increased BAT use was also associated with higher work intensity (except for betel nut use), higher monthly income, and specific occupations (such as service or manual work). Conclusions: Employment is independently associated with a higher risk of BAT use among low-income Taiwanese students. Work intensity and specific occupational fields may offer insights into formulating relevant preventive measures for these students.

Keywords:

• Taiwan
• low-income students
• work experience
• betel nut
• alcohol
• tobacco

Acknowledgements

We want to thank TFCF for providing the raw data for this study. The article’s content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of TFCF. The authors wish to thank Dr. Dianjiang Li, Assistant Professor, Institute of Public Health of Nanjing Medical University, for comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. For this version of the manuscript, we invited Dr. Yuqi Sun, who has a master’s degree from Emory University, and Professor Bo Fu, who has more than 20 years of scientific research experience in the UK, to offer comments on language.

Disclosure of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Availability of data and materials

The data that support the findings of this study are available in [Survey Research Data Archive, Academia Sinica] at [10.6141/TW-SRDA-D00127-1], URL [https://srda.sinica.edu.tw/datasearch_detail.php?id=1189].

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a grant from the China National Science & Technology Pillar Program during the 12th Five-year Plan Period (2014BAL05B0606). The funding body had no role in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data or in writing the manuscript.