According to recent research from the American Academy of Pediatrics, experiencing homelessness is not the only type of housing instability linked to adverse child health and development outcomes. The most prevalent housing instability is “rent strain,” defined as falling behind on rent. Children in households with rent strain have a higher rate of lifetime hospitalizations and are more likely to experience poor health and material hardship. Caregivers in these families are also more likely to have poor health, including a higher rate of depression. Families who move frequently or have a history of homelessness have similar outcomes.
