A Quasi-Experiment comparing the health of unhoused people who have and have not experienced an eviction in King County, WA

TL;DR

This study investigates how eviction impacts health and substance use among unhoused individuals in King County, revealing eviction's association with poorer health and increased substance use, emphasizing eviction's detrimental effects.

Contribution

It provides the first quasi-experimental evidence linking eviction to adverse health and substance use outcomes in the unhoused population.

Findings

Eviction linked to an 8.3% increase in poor health reports.

Eviction associated with a 9.5% rise in substance use disorder.

No significant effect on mental health outcomes.

Abstract

Home eviction poses a significant threat to housing stability, a critical determinant of health. This study examines the relationship between eviction and health and substance use within the unhoused population of King County, Washington. Using a sample of 1,106 individuals experiencing homelessness, we employed a quasi-experimental design to compare the health outcomes of those who have experienced eviction with those who have not. Our findings reveal eviction is associated with an 8.3% point increase (SE = 0.039) in the likelihood of reporting poor general health and an 9.5% increase (SE = 0.032) in substance use disorder. No significant effect was found for mental health outcomes. While these results highlight the severe health risks linked to eviction, further research with more precise estimates is necessary to better understand long-term effects. These findings contribute to the growing evidence of how home eviction undermines the well-being of vulnerable populations.