Mental Illness Plays a Part in the Complexities of Poverty

A new study suggests people with low incomes are more likely to suffer mental illness than their more affluent peers. It also found that a decrease in income is associated with increased risk of anxiety, substance abuse and mood disorders.

There is solid data to back this claim. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 35,000 adults aged 20 and older who took part in the U.S. National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions. The participants were interviewed twice, three years apart.

The results were astounding. Participants with household income of less than $20,000 per year were at increased risk of incident mood disorders during the three-year follow-up period in comparison with those with income of $70,000 or more per year.

Likewise, participants whose household income dropped between interviews were also at an increased risk of mood and anxiety disorders and substance abuse, compared to participants whose income didn't drop.

At CANI, we have firsthand experience with mental illness and its corollary relationship to poverty. The Shelter Plus Care program helps pay a portion housing costs for people who are homeless and battling a mental illness, HIV/AIDS or substance abuse. Currently, two thirds of our clients on this program have a diagnosis of a Serious Mental Illness (SMI).

There is hope in the form of success stories like Kim, a client on the Shelter Plus Care program. Kim lost her husband in 2006 and subsequently her source of income. With no family support and suffering from mental illness she was left to fend for herself. Desperate for help, she inquired at the CANI office in Steuben County. Soon Family Development Support Worker Sandra Smith connected with Kim.

Over the past three years, Sandra has helped Kim find a safe and affordable place to live, secure food; obtain prescription medications, and perhaps most importantly, find a source of income.

Eliminating poverty is a complex task. Family Development provides the intensive coordination of services, assessment, action planning, and ongoing support needed by many families in order to move them out of poverty. Programs like Shelter Plus Care allow CANI to provide extra help to individuals coping with mental illness.