Neighborhood eviction trajectories and odds of moderate and serious psychological distress during pregnancy among African American women

Abstract

African American mothers are unjustly burdened both by residential evictions and psychological distress. We quantified associations between trajectories of neighborhood evictions over time, and odds of moderate and serious psychological distress (MPD and SPD, respectively) during pregnancy among African American women. We linked publicly available neighborhood eviction filing and judgement rate data to preconception and during pregnancy addresses from the Life-course Influences on Fetal Environments Study (2009-2011, n=808). Multinomial logistic regression estimated odds of MPD and SPD during pregnancy associated with eviction filing and judgement rate trajectories incorporating preconception and during pregnancy addresses (each categorized as low/medium/high, with two 9-category trajectory measures). Psychological distress was measured with the Kessler (K6) scale (scores between 5-12 = MPD, and ≥ 13 = SPD). MPD was reported in 60% and SPD in 8% of the sample. Higher neighborhood eviction filing and judgement rates, compared to low/low in the preconception and pregnancy periods was associated with between 2- and 4-fold higher odds of both MDP and SPD during pregnancy among African American women, in adjusted models. Future studies should identify mechanisms of these findings to inform timely community-based interventions and effective policy solutions to ensure the basic human right to housing for all.