Effects of maternal depression on family food insecurity.
We use data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort to estimate the effects of maternal depression, a condition that is fairly common and can be severe, on food insecurity, a hardship that has increased substantially in the U.S. Using various model specifications, we find convincing evidence that severe maternal depression increases the likelihood that young children experience food insecurity by 23-79%, with estimates depending on model specification and measures of depression and food insecurity. For household food insecurity, the corresponding estimates are 11-69%. We also find that maternal depression increases reliance on several types of public programs, suggesting that the programs play a buffering role.
Department of Economics, Rider University and National Bureau of Economic Research, 2083 Lawrenceville Rd., Lawrenceville, NJ 08648, United States. Electronic address: knoonan@rider.edu.
Kelly
K
Noonan
Department of Economics, Rider University and National Bureau of Economic Research, 2083 Lawrenceville Rd., Lawrenceville, NJ 08648, United States. Electronic address: corman@rider.edu.
Hope
H
Corman
Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Child Health Institute of New Jersey, 89 French St., Room 4269, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, United States. Electronic address: nancy.reichman@rwjms.rutgers.edu.
Nancy E
NE
Reichman
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D063105:Food Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; C050847:evernic acid
Family well-being; Food insecurity; Hardship; Maternal depression