Children’s HealthWatch has published a new study finding that young children in families that experienced informal or formal eviction in the preceding five years are at greater risk of poor health outcomes than young children from families without recent histories of eviction. The study also found that families that experienced recent eviction were more likely to struggle to afford basic needs.
Among more than 26,000 renter families surveyed between 2011 and 2019, approximately 4% reported having been evicted in the past five years, with more than half of these evictions being informal. After accounting for demographic differences, the study found that young children in families that experienced eviction were at greater risk of being in poor health, experiencing developmental delays, and being admitted to the hospital following an emergency room visit. Families that experienced evictions were more likely to face housing instability and homelessness and struggle to access food, utilities, health care, and childcare compared to families with no eviction history.
Children’s HealthWatch is a founding partner and Steering Committee member of the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign.
Read the new study here.