How Poverty Can Impact Mental and Physical Health

For the last few thousand years, we've understood the negative impact that poverty can have on health both mental and physical. In more recent years, we have seen a number of studies published that show the clear relationship between living in poverty and lifespan, hospitalizations and health problems, both physical and emotional. These findings are clear and indisputable.

I recently had an opportunity to see this process clearly in one of my patients. The woman had lived in poverty most of her life. She had a variety of health issues related to her lack of financial resources. She believed in paying her bills and often would use money that she should have used for medications or for medical services to pay her electric bill, etc. Episodes of severe depression were a regular part of her life. She had a history of alcohol abuse and had been in recovery for a number of years.

Her children had also experienced the effects of living in poverty. They had a number of physical health problems, including diabetes and substance abuse. After working with her for a number of years, a change in her living situation and financial status, not my care, made a major change in her life. She was finally able to obtain housing that she could afford which allowed her some extra money to pay other bills and commitments she had. Her mood improved drastically. She became much more active and assertive and even at times optimistic. Her physical health also improved. She can now sleep without medications, etc.

The Importance of Affordable Housing and Livable Wages

We have known for many years that providing affordable housing can do much to improve the mental and physical health of individuals. We also know that providing a livable wage can have the same impact. I hear a number of people complaining about people not wanting to go back to work and wanting to stay on unemployment. My question is why wouldn't they? Unemployment compensation may be time-limited but it is usually predictable. And more recently it has provided more compensation than a minimum wage job.

We know how to significantly improve the mental and physical health of our citizens. There is no mystery to this. We pay out much more in terms of treatment for health conditions and the loss in productivity than we would spend providing adequate housing opportunities and livable wages. Yes, we need more treatment services and better treatment services for those who are sick or injured. But the healthcare system needs to become a healthcare system, not an illness care system.

Unfortunately, there is a good deal of money to be made in providing drugs and treatment services. A patient of mine complained that we will not find a cure for diabetes because there's simply too much money to be made in treating it. I don't know if I agree with that but I do agree that we need to change our focus and take prevention services seriously. Providing a livable wage and adequate housing services may prevent mental illness and physical illness. These strategies can also be quite cost-effective and save much of the money that we are spending on treatment services.

We have an opportunity now to make some significant changes in our society. I hope we do not let the opportunity pass without taking action.