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Dissertation
Evictions, income support, and health: examining the effects of eviction moratoriums and child tax credit on mental health and the effects of evictions on mortality
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Spring 2024
DOI: 10.25820/etd.007447
Abstract
This study addresses three aims to further understand the links between housing evictions, income support, and mental health. In the first aim, the study evaluates the effects of the state eviction moratoriums enacted early during the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of renters. In the second aim, the study assesses the impact of the expanding of the child tax credit (CTC) in the second half of 2021 on mental health separately for home renters and homeowners. And in the third aim, the study seeks to understand the associations between county-level eviction rates and eviction filing rates and county-level alcohol, drug-related, and suicide mortality. Combined, these three aims seek to examine the intersections between housing and income support as social determinants of mental health and provide evidence for two specific policies affecting housing and income support. The study uses nationally representative data from Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, BRFSS for the first and second aims and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC National Vital Statistics System, and data from Princeton University Eviction lab for aim 3. The study employs regression models that address confounding through design and covariate adjustment.
The first study findings indicate the state eviction moratoriums early during the pandemic were associated with a mental health improvement of home renters (based on a decline in days not in good mental health in the past 30). Similarly, the second study shows that the CTC expansions were associated with improvement in mental health of home renters based on the same measure but not among homeowners with both groups selected to be within the income range that would have qualified for the maximum credit. Lastly, the third study showed little evidence of associations of evictions and filings with the mortality outcomes. Overall, the research findings suggest that increased housing security and cash transfers improve the mental vi health of low-income home renters. They also offer directions for future research on underlying mechanisms for the observed effects and further understanding of how area-level indicators of housing instability based on evictions and filing rates influence population health outcomes.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Evictions, income support, and health: examining the effects of eviction moratoriums and child tax credit on mental health and the effects of evictions on mortality
- Creators
- Abdinasir K. Ali
- Contributors
- George Wehby (Advisor)Hari Sharma (Committee Member)Whitney Zahnd (Committee Member)Jerry Anthony (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Health Services and Policy
- Date degree season
- Spring 2024
- DOI
- 10.25820/etd.007447
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- xiv, 119 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2024 Abdinasir K. Ali
- Language
- English
- Date submitted
- 04/23/2024
- Description illustrations
- Illustrations, tables, graphs, charts
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references.
- Public Abstract (ETD)
This study addressed research questions on the intersections between housing, income, and health status. Specifically, the study evaluated the links between housing evictions, income support and mental health. In the first aim, the study examined the short-term effects of the state housing eviction moratoriums implemented during the pandemic in 2020 on mental health status of home renters. In the second aim, the study investigated the effects of the expanded child tax credits under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 on mental health status of home renters. And in the third aim, the study examined the association between county level eviction rates and filing rates and mortality outcomes.
The study findings from the first aim found some evidence that the state eviction moratoriums during the pandemic in 2020 were associated with improvement in mental health of home renters. In the second aim, the study findings showed that the expanded child tax credit was associated with improvement in mental health among home renters but not homeowners. Finally, in the third aim, the study found little evidence of an association between evictions and filing rates and mortality outcomes. Combined, the three aims focused on understanding the effects of public and health policies on health outcomes of low-income renter population.
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy; Center for Social Science Innovation
- Record Identifier
- 9984647255002771
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