Financial hardship and social assistance as determinants of mental health and food and housing insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

ABSTRACT:

Background

While social assistance through the U.S. federal CARES Act provided expanded unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic until the summer of 2020, it is unclear whether social assistance was sufficient in subsequent months to meet everyday spending needs and to curb the adverse health-related sequelae of financial hardship.

Methods

Using multivariable Poisson log-binomial regression and repeated cross-sectional Household Pulse Survey data between September and December 2020 on 91,222 working-aged U.S. adults and 28,842 adult housing renters, this study explored the associations of financial hardship with mental health outcomes and food and housing insecurity after accounting for receipt of social assistance.

Results

Financial hardship rose

SUBMITTER: Kim D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8517203 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature