Understanding how changes in debt affect stress and health
Within-Year Debt Fluctuations, Stress, and Health
This project looks at how changes in debt throughout the year might affect stress, anxiety, and depression in lower-income adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11158961 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many lower-income Americans use different types of debt, like credit cards or payday loans, to manage their daily expenses, which can cause their debt levels to change often. This project wants to understand if these frequent changes in debt help reduce stress or, instead, make feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression worse. We will use a special smartphone survey to collect information every two weeks from 410 lower-income adults over one year. This will help us see how short-term changes in debt and income connect to their overall well-being.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are lower-income adults, 21 years or older, who are willing to complete biweekly smartphone surveys about their health, income, and debt.
Not a fit: Patients who are not lower-income adults or who are unwilling to participate in regular surveys may not directly benefit from this specific research opportunity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help us better understand the financial factors that contribute to mental health challenges and inform programs to support financial well-being.
How similar studies have performed: While short-term income fluctuations are known to impact economic insecurity, this project addresses a gap in understanding short-term debt changes and their health associations.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bea, Megan D — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Bea, Megan D
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.