Associations between Housing Insecurity and Health in Midlife with Moderation by Social Support

Open Access
- Author:
- Bhat, Aarti
- Graduate Program:
- Human Development and Family Studies
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- February 24, 2021
- Committee Members:
- David Manuel Almeida, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Alexis R Santos, Committee Member
Charles Geier, Program Head/Chair - Keywords:
- housing
health
recession
social support - Abstract:
- Housing insecurity—or limited and/or unreliable access to quality housing—is a powerful chronic stressor that can adversely affect individual health and well-being. This study extends prior research by investigating the effects of housing insecurity on the mental as well as physical health of aging adults using the Midlife in the United States study (MIDUS; N = 2,532; M age = 63.42; 57% women; 16% black). Participants reported on experiences of anxiety/depression in the past year, self-rated mental health, self-rated physical health, and number of chronic health conditions experienced in the last year. Participants also reported experiences of housing insecurity since the 2008 recession (e.g., homelessness, threatened with foreclosure or eviction, missed rent payment). Higher levels of housing insecurity were experienced by younger participants and black participants. Results showed that, even when controlling for prior health, housing insecurity was associated with significantly higher odds of experiencing anxiety/depression, poorer self-reported mental and physical health, and chronic health conditions. Neighborhood support items were assessed as moderators; and, while these support measures themselves seemed to be predictive of lower odds of adverse health outcomes, when interacted with housing insecurity they increased odds of experiencing the health outcomes of interest. Therefore, more research needs to be done on the role that the nature of community/neighborhood interactions may have on health. The results of the analysis suggest that experiences of insecure housing leave midlife and aging adults vulnerable to compromised mental and physical health. This research adds to the body of literature on housing by creating a more comprehensive and inclusive measure of housing insecurity experiences, as well as contributing a life course perspective to how housing insecurity can impact health. This research has implications for policy addressing housing insecurity issues as a public health concern, especially in the aftermath of the 2008 recession and current economic and housing crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research should further examine differences in the association of housing insecurity experiences on health by racial groups, and also examine neighborhood safety and quality in conjunction with housing issues to ascertain the impact of safe housing and location on health in midlife adults.