Two New Studies on the Health Impacts of Cash Transfers
Smith, Katherine (2024) Two New Studies on the Health Impacts of Cash Transfers. Scottish Health Equity Research Unit, Glasgow. (https://doi.org/10.17868/strath.00090376)
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Abstract
This short briefing looks at two studies published in July 2024 that looked at how giving cash to people with low incomes affects their health [1,2]. Both studies were conducted in the USA but in different states, and both used a Randomized Control Trial design, which is considered highly robust. Interestingly, the studies came to different conclusions. One study, conducted near Boston, Massachusetts, concluded, ‘that policies that seek to alleviate poverty by providing income support may have important benefits for health and access to care’. In contrast, researchers examining the cash transfer programme in Illinois and Texas concluded that, ‘directly reducing poverty via cash transfers was not effective at improving health outcomes’. Since existing evidence shows there is a strong (albeit complex) relationship between poverty and health, and since previous studies of cash transfers in the USA have identified positive health impacts [4, 5], the findings of the second study are surprising. In this brief, we consider why two similar studies reached such different conclusions and explore whether there are any useful insights for Scotland.
ORCID iDs
Smith, Katherine ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1060-4102;Persistent Identifier
https://doi.org/10.17868/strath.00090376-
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Item type: Report ID code: 90376 Dates: DateEvent28 August 2024PublishedSubjects: Medicine > Public aspects of medicine > Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Social Sciences > Social pathology. Social and public welfareDepartment: Strategic Research Themes > Society and Policy
Strategic Research Themes > Health and Wellbeing
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) > Social Work and Social Policy > Social Work and Social PolicyDepositing user: Pure Administrator Date deposited: 27 Aug 2024 11:53 Last modified: 05 Oct 2024 00:13 URI: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/90376