American journal of public health最新文献

Objectives. To evaluate the impact of the temporary expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for childless adults in 2021 on the mental health of home renters and homeowners. Methods. We used US Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 2021 through 2023. Mental health outcomes included the number of mentally unhealthy days in the past 30 days and an indicator for frequent mental distress (14 or more unhealthy days). We used a difference-in-differences design comparing outcome changes before and after the EITC expansion between young adults 18 to 24 years of age (treatment group) and adults 25 to 29 years of age (control group), separately for renters and homeowners. Results. The EITC expansion was associated with statistically significant improvements in mental health among young renters but not homeowners. Specifically, after the expansion in 2022, renters 18 to 24 years of age experienced a mean of 2.21 fewer mentally unhealthy days and exhibited a 9.8 percentage point decrease in the probability of frequent mental distress relative to older renters. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that antipoverty programs such as the EITC are associated with improvements in mental health among young adults who rent. (Am J Public Health. 2025;115(11):1858-1867. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2025.308219).

Objectives. To explore the association between the March 2020 Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Medicaid disenrollment freeze during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and children's insurance coverage by family income, race/ethnicity, and language. Methods. We used 2015 to 2021 US Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, comparing monthly coverage for publicly insured children before (2015-2019) and during (2020-2021) the PHE. Outcomes included continuous public coverage, private coverage, no coverage, total months of public coverage, and total number of uninsured months. We estimated weighted multivariable linear regression models with a PHE period indicator. Results. The PHE was associated with an increase in continuous public coverage among children of 4.2% percentage points, reduced transitions to private coverage (-2.3 percentage points) and no insurance (-1.9 percentage points), and increases in months of public coverage. The largest continuous public coverage improvements were among children from families with incomes between 200% and 399% of the federal poverty level (FPL), non-Hispanic White children, and Hispanic children. Conclusions. The FFCRA improved children's public coverage continuity, particularly among children from families with incomes between 200% and 399% of the FPL, non-Hispanic White children, and Hispanic children, who may face coverage loss with disenrollment resuming. (Am J Public Health. 2025;115(11):1848-1857. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307900).

The Georgia Poison Center developed a protocol for managing mental health crisis cases via iterative feedback with Georgia 911-related emergency medical services and Georgia 988-related mental health services. The Georgia Poison Center managed 533 such cases in 2024 (the year of protocol implementation), of which 45 (8.4%) were transferred to 911. Our study demonstrates that emergency services can effectively develop statewide collaborations to improve mental health outcomes and that poison centers have a vital role in national suicide prevention efforts. (Am J Public Health. 2025;115(11):1814-1817. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2025.308229).