Research Brief: How jobs in different industries may shape methamphetamine use risk in U.S. communities

A study of how county workforce concentrations in different industries are associated with methamphetamine use and use disorder among working-aged individuals in the United States.

Notable Findings

• Counties with larger shares of jobs in utilities, construction and administrative/support/waste management/remediation services tended to have higher rates of methamphetamine use and use disorder.
• In contrast, counties with larger workforces in educational services and healthcare/social assistance tended to have lower rates of methamphetamine use and use disorder, although these associations were relatively modest.
• Mixed patterns of association suggest that multiple industry-specific and community-level mechanisms may be involved, including workplace norms, psychosocial stressors, economic conditions, and broader social-network dynamics.

Study Overview

Methamphetamine use remains a significant public health concern in the United States, contributing to nearly 35,000 psychostimulant-related deaths in 2023 alone. While previous research has primarily focused on individual risk factors, less is known about how local employment and economic environments may influence methamphetamine use patterns. To address this gap, this study investigates how the industrial composition of a county’s workforce is associated with methamphetamine use and use disorder among working-age individuals. Using restricted-use data from the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) linked with county-level labor-market information, the study analyzed the methamphetamine use patterns among approximately 275,100 respondents aged 15 to 64 years.

Recommendations

• Information about local workforce composition may help public health agencies and community organizations identify areas where prevention, treatment, and recovery resources could have the greatest impact.
• Potential responses include improving workplace safety and working conditions, expanding recovery-friendly workplace programs and increasing access to flexible,  mobile or community-based treatment services.
• Future research should examine which aspects of job quality, workplace culture, and local economic conditions are most strongly associated with methamphetamine use risk, as well as which community strengths and protective factors help reduce risk during periods of economic change.

About the Researchers

• Sehun Oh, PhD, is an associate professor at the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University. Dr. Oh currently serves on the editorial boards of the International Journal of Social Welfare and BMC Public Health.
• Michael Betz, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Human Sciences and an FCS state specialist at The Ohio State University.
• Daejun Park, PhD, Daejun Park, PhD, is an associate professor at the College of Health Sciences and Professions at Ohio University. Dr. Park currently serves as a faculty affiliate at The Institute to Advance Population Health (ADVANCE).

Contact information: Sehun Oh at oh.570@osu.edu.

Read here.