Objective: To study the relationships between working conditions, job dissatisfaction and smoking behaviors among clerks and manual workers.
Methods: We used data from the French Health Barometer, a cross-sectional telephone survey conducted among a national random sample (N = 4825). Regarding working conditions, the questionnaire dealt with reported job satisfaction, psychological demands and mental workload, physical demands, latitude decision and work schedule.
Results: Manual workers and clerks who reported strong dissatisfaction toward unhealthy working conditions also reported more frequently current smoking, tobacco dependence, potential alcohol dependence and perceived stress. After adjusting for socio-demographic confounders, perceived working conditions and job dissatisfaction remained correlated with smoking and tobacco dependence.
Conclusions: Poor working conditions may heavily contribute to health inequalities, as they are likely to fuel both stress and unhealthy behaviors, which combine to increase morbidity and mortality.