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Easing Cash Assistance Rules During COVID-19 Was Associated With Reduced Days Of Poor Physical And Mental Health.
Dore, Emily C; Livingston Iii, Melvin D; Shafer, Paul R.
  • Dore EC; Emily C. Dore (emily.catherine.dore@emory.edu), Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
  • Livingston Iii MD; Melvin D. Livingston III, Emory University.
  • Shafer PR; Paul R. Shafer, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.
Health Aff (Millwood) ; 41(11): 1590-1597, 2022 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2109344
ABSTRACT
Unemployment rates soared at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US, increasing financial stress that can affect physical and mental health. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is the primary cash assistance program for low-income families in the US, with benefits conditional on work activities and subject to suspension. However, many states loosened requirements during the pandemic. Using TANF policy data and data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from the period January 2017-December 2020 with a triple-difference design, we found a general protective effect of supportive changes to TANF on poor physical and mental health days and binge drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic for likely TANF participants. For example, providing emergency cash benefits to those not already participating in TANF, waiving work requirements, waiving or pausing sanctions, and automatically recertifying benefits were associated with reductions in the number of mentally unhealthy days. This study provides support for increasing generosity and easing administrative burdens in safety-net programs to buffer against negative impacts of public health and economic crises.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Social Welfare / COVID-19 Type of study: Prognostic study Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: Health Aff (Millwood) Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Hlthaff.2022.00740

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Social Welfare / COVID-19 Type of study: Prognostic study Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: Health Aff (Millwood) Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Hlthaff.2022.00740