Finding HOPE: Changes in depressive symptomology following relocation from distressed public housing

Michael D. Webb, William M. Rohe, Mai Thi Nguyen, Kirstin Frescoln, Mary Donegan and Hye-Sung Han

Social Science & Medicine, 2017, vol. 190, issue C, 165-173

Abstract: Many public housing residents suffer from poor mental health and depression, which may be a function of both socioeconomic deprivation and residing in disorderly, unstable, and disadvantaged neighborhoods. While not explicitly targeting mental health, the HOPE VI program may improve public housing residents’ mental health by relocating them from distressed developments and into less-disadvantaged and disorderly neighborhoods. This paper examines post-relocation depressive symptomology among residents relocated from the Boulevard Homes public housing development in Charlotte, NC. Drawing on pre- and post-relocation surveys, as well as interviews with staff and case managers, we examine whether depressive symptomology – measured by the CES-D-10 – is associated with whether tenants relocate to other public housing or to private-market housing through the Housing Choice Voucher program. Further, we investigate whether social support, perceptions of safety, or objective neighborhood measures result in improvements in post-relocation depressive symptomology.

Keywords: Public housing; Stress process theory; HOPE VI; CES-D; Depression; Mental health; Charlotte; NC (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:socmed:v:190:y:2017:i:c:p:165-173

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DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.08.020

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