Exploring how income affects health outcomes

Experimental evidence on the relationship between income and health

NIH-funded research University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NIH-11083717

This study is looking at how having more money can affect your health, both mental and physical, by giving some people cash support and seeing how it changes their health and access to care.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Champaign, United States)
Project IDNIH-11083717 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates the connection between income levels and health outcomes, focusing on both mental and physical health. It utilizes a randomized intervention involving a cash transfer program to assess how providing financial support influences health indicators. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive unconditional cash transfers, allowing researchers to observe changes in health status and access to care. The study aims to clarify whether higher income directly improves health or if other factors are involved.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are adults over 21 years old who may benefit from increased financial resources to access health services.

Not a fit: Patients who are not in need of financial assistance or who have stable health outcomes may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide insights into how financial support can improve health outcomes for individuals.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding the relationship between income and health, but this specific approach using randomized cash transfers is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

Champaign, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.