ERIC Number: EJ759370
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 21
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0276-8739
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Available Date: N/A
Changes in the Welfare Caseload and the Health of Low-Educated Mothers
Kaestner, Robert; Tarlov, Elizabeth
Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, v25 n3 p623-643 Sum 2006
Declines in the welfare caseload in the late 1990s brought significant change to the lives of many low-educated, single mothers. Many single mothers left welfare and entered the labor market and others found different ways to avoid going on public assistance. These changes may have affected the health and health behaviors of these women. To date, there has been little study of this issue. In this paper, we obtained estimates of the association between changes in the welfare caseload caused by welfare policy, and four health behaviors--smoking, drinking, diet, and exercise--and four self-reported measures of health--weight, days in poor mental health, days in poor physical health, and general health status. The results of our study reveal that recent declines in the welfare caseload were associated with less binge drinking, but otherwise welfare reform had little effect on health and health behaviors.
Descriptors: Economically Disadvantaged, Physical Health, Mothers, Health Behavior, Health Conditions, Drinking, Welfare Services, Welfare Recipients, Correlation, Fatherless Family, Smoking, Eating Habits, Exercise, Mental Health, Body Weight, Educationally Disadvantaged, Public Policy, Policy Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
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Author Affiliations: N/A