IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i19p10322-d647293.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Housing Instability and Depression among US Mothers Following a Nonmarital Birth

Author

Listed:
  • Sehun Oh

    (College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Ian Zapcic

    (College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Michael G. Vaughn

    (College of Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63103, USA
    Graduate School of Social Welfare, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea)

  • Christopher P. Salas-Wright

    (School of Social Work, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA)

  • Yeonwoo Kim

    (Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010, USA)

Abstract

Mothers who had a nonmarital birth experience multiple risk factors for depression, including housing instability. Yet, important questions remain about the extent of long-term housing instability and its association with future depression among at-risk mothers. Using the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study data, we examine cumulative housing instability over a 15-year period following nonmarital birth and its association with maternal depression. Based on a sample of 2279 mothers who had a nonmarital birth in 20 major US cities between 1998–2000, we examined their 15-year residential moves and housing arrangements. Then, we tested the associations between the cumulative residential moves and major depressive episodes (MDE) in Year 15 using logistic regression analysis. One in every four mothers had six or more residential moves in 15 years following a nonmarital birth. For each additional move, mothers reported up to 27.9% higher odds of having a past-year MDE in Year 15, translating into the prevalence increases from 6.0% (zero move) to 20.6% (10 moves). Our findings suggest that greater attention should be paid to housing needs among mothers following a nonmarital birth, including temporary housing assistance and more fundamental programs to reduce housing instability as preventive mental health services.

Suggested Citation

  • Sehun Oh & Ian Zapcic & Michael G. Vaughn & Christopher P. Salas-Wright & Yeonwoo Kim, 2021. "Housing Instability and Depression among US Mothers Following a Nonmarital Birth," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-13, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10322-:d:647293
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/19/10322/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/19/10322/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Quigley, John M., 2007. "Just Suppose: Housing Subsidies for Low Income Renters," Berkeley Program on Housing and Urban Policy, Working Paper Series qt0n43z5d2, Berkeley Program on Housing and Urban Policy.
    2. Pollack, C.E. & Lynch, J., 2009. "Health status of people undergoing foreclosure in the Philadelphia region," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 99(10), pages 1833-1839.
    3. Amit Shrira & Howard Litwin, 2014. "The Effect of Lifetime Cumulative Adversity and Depressive Symptoms on Functional Status," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 69(6), pages 953-965.
    4. Curtis, M.A. & Corman, H. & Noonan, K. & Reichman, N.E., 2014. "Maternal depression as a risk factor for family homelessness," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 104(9), pages 1664-1670.
    5. Dale Dannefer, 2003. "Cumulative Advantage/Disadvantage and the Life Course: Cross-Fertilizing Age and Social Science Theory," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 58(6), pages 327-337.
    6. Sara McLanahan, 2009. "Fragile Families and the Reproduction of Poverty," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 621(1), pages 111-131, January.
    7. Oh, Sehun & DiNitto, Diana M. & Powers, Daniel A., 2020. "A longitudinal evaluation of government-sponsored job skills training and basic employment services among U.S. baby boomers with economic disadvantages," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    8. Vásquez-Vera, Hugo & Palència, Laia & Magna, Ingrid & Mena, Carlos & Neira, Jaime & Borrell, Carme, 2017. "The threat of home eviction and its effects on health through the equity lens: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 199-208.
    9. Reichman, Nancy E. & Teitler, Julien O. & Garfinkel, Irwin & McLanahan, Sara S., 2001. "Fragile Families: sample and design," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(4-5), pages 303-326.
    10. Burgard, Sarah A. & Seefeldt, Kristin S. & Zelner, Sarah, 2012. "Housing instability and health: Findings from the Michigan recession and recovery study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2215-2224.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gold, Sarah & Wagner, Brandon, 2022. "Acute care utilization and housing hardships in American children," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    2. McGovern, Mark E. & Rokicki, Slawa & Reichman, Nancy E., 2022. "Maternal depression and economic well-being: A quasi-experimental approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 305(C).
    3. Vásquez-Vera, Hugo & Palència, Laia & Magna, Ingrid & Mena, Carlos & Neira, Jaime & Borrell, Carme, 2017. "The threat of home eviction and its effects on health through the equity lens: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 199-208.
    4. Hoke, Morgan K. & Boen, Courtney E., 2021. "The health impacts of eviction: Evidence from the national longitudinal study of adolescent to adult health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).
    5. Christian King, 2018. "Food insecurity and housing instability in vulnerable families," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 255-273, June.
    6. Corman, Hope & Curtis, Marah A. & Noonan, Kelly & Reichman, Nancy E., 2016. "Maternal depression as a risk factor for children's inadequate housing conditions," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 76-83.
    7. Alexander C Tsai, 2015. "Home Foreclosure, Health, and Mental Health: A Systematic Review of Individual, Aggregate, and Contextual Associations," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-21, April.
    8. Kathryn Showalter & Susan Yoon & TK Logan, 2023. "The Employment Trajectories of Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 37(1), pages 58-77, February.
    9. Downing, Janelle, 2016. "The health effects of the foreclosure crisis and unaffordable housing: A systematic review and explanation of evidence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 88-96.
    10. Janelle Downing & Andrew Karter & Hector Rodriguez & William H Dow & Nancy Adler & Dean Schillinger & Margaret Warton & Barbara Laraia, 2016. "No Spillover Effect of the Foreclosure Crisis on Weight Change: The Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-11, March.
    11. Bracke, Piet & Delaruelle, Katrijn & Dereuddre, Rozemarijn & Van de Velde, Sarah, 2020. "Depression in women and men, cumulative disadvantage and gender inequality in 29 European countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    12. Schwartz, Gabriel L. & Leifheit, Kathryn M. & Chen, Jarvis T. & Arcaya, Mariana C. & Berkman, Lisa F., 2022. "Childhood eviction and cognitive development: Developmental timing-specific associations in an urban birth cohort," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    13. Roshanak Mehdipanah & Margaret Dewar & Alexa Eisenberg, 2021. "Threats to and Opportunities for Low-Income Homeownership, Housing Stability, and Health: Protocol for the Detroit 2017 Make-It-Home Evaluation Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-15, October.
    14. Amanda Geller & Ellis Monk, 2019. "Race, Skin Tone, and Police Contact Among Contemporary Teens," Working Papers wp19-07-ff, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    15. Allison Dwyer Emory, 2019. "Unintended Consequences: Protective State Policies and the Employment of Fathers with Criminal Records," Working Papers wp19-04-ff, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    16. Riekhoff, Aart-Jan & Vaalavuo, Maria, 2021. "Health shocks and couples’ labor market participation: A turning point or stuck in the trajectory?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    17. Julia S. Goldberg, 2011. "Identity Salience and Involvement among Resident and Nonresident Fathers," Working Papers 1323, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    18. Sun, Nan & Yang, Fan, 2021. "Impacts of internal migration experience on health among middle-aged and older adults—Evidence from China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    19. Ronald Mincy & Jennifer Hill & Marilyn Sinkewicz, 2009. "Marriage: Cause or mere indicator of future earnings growth?," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(3), pages 417-439.
    20. Natasha V. Pilkauskas, 2012. "Instability in Three-Generation Family Households and Child Wellbeing," Working Papers 1429, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10322-:d:647293. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.