A Quasi-Experiment comparing the health of unhoused people who have and have not experienced an eviction in King County, WA

A research team from the University of Washington and Kaiser Permanente Washington published a study titled 'A Quasi-Experiment comparing the health of unhoused people who have and have not experienced an eviction in King County, WA' on arXiv. The study employed a quasi-experimental design—a method used to infer causality when randomized trials aren't feasible—to analyze a sample of 1,106 individuals experiencing homelessness. The goal was to isolate the specific impact of eviction on health outcomes, separate from other factors associated with homelessness.

The findings reveal stark, statistically significant associations. Individuals who had experienced an eviction were 8.3 percentage points more likely to report poor general health and showed a 9.5% increase in substance use disorder compared to their unhoused peers who had not been evicted. Notably, the study found no significant effect on mental health outcomes, suggesting eviction's primary measurable impacts may be on physical health and substance use. The researchers caution that while these results highlight severe risks, more precise, long-term studies are needed.

This research contributes to a growing body of evidence quantifying how housing instability actively undermines well-being. By focusing specifically on eviction within an already vulnerable population, it provides crucial data for policymakers and public health officials arguing that preventing eviction is not just a housing issue, but a direct intervention for community health.