U.S. counties with more evictions have higher mortality rates, study finds
“Mortality rates are higher in U.S. counties where eviction rates are also elevated, and this trend is strongest in areas with higher proportions of Black residents and women, UT Southwestern researchers found.” Given the high rates of evictions in Indiana with Indianapolis #2 in the country for total evictions, this is a serious problem for Hoosiers. Extrapolating, these health effects have to have an adverse effect on Indiana’s economy. The Indiana Behavorial Health Commission’s 2022 report cited housing as a “as a priority factor to address for individuals with mental illness.”
"This is the first U.S. study to evaluate and identify a link between county eviction rates and mortality rates," said Andrew Sumarsono, M.D., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern and corresponding author of the report, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.”
“Housing instability is a key social determinant of health. Eviction rates have increased over the past two decades, disproportionately affecting minorities and women in the United States, and have been shown to lead to poor health outcomes such as psychosocial stress and adverse maternal and fetal health. But the association with mortality has not been documented.”
This is truly a life and death issue.
