Drinking is not working

Researchers from South Korea and the USA have investigated whether or not there is a relation between alcohol consumption and unemployment. The team examined data covering the period 1994-2013 and found that alcohol habits tracked unemployment trends in South Korea.

The team applied a statistical technique known as Granger causal models to the data and demonstrated that there is a substantial causal interaction between unemployment rates and drinking behaviour. On this basis, the team suggests that there are policy implications. Government spending on education about alcohol abuse and abuse prevention programs needs to be increased.

There is a need to retrain the unemployed workers, and also to increase taxation on alcoholic beverages.