Depression Severity Among U.S. Adults Receiving Government Housing Assistance: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Using the NHIS Database.

Purpose: The current study investigated the link between government housing assistance and depression among U.S. adults using data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey.

Method: Depression severity was measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire-8, and logistic regression models were used to assess the association between housing assistance and depression, adjusting for sociodemographic factors.

Results: Individuals receiving housing assistance were significantly more likely to experience moderate to severe depression (odds ratio [OR] = 1.77, p < 0.001). Poor health status was the strongest predictor of depression (OR = 12.11, p < 0.001), whereas older age, higher education, and marriage were linked to lower odds. Interaction analysis revealed that Hispanic individuals with some college education had higher odds of depression than non-Hispanic White individuals with less education.

Conclusion: Findings emphasize the need for mental health support within housing programs, particularly addressing disparities among vulnerable groups. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.].