The Great Recession and Mother's Health

We use longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study to investigate the impacts of the Great Recession on the health of mothers. We focus on a wide range of physical and mental health outcomes, as well as health behaviors. We find that increases in the unemployment rate decrease self-reported health status and increase smoking and drug use. We also find evidence of heterogeneous impacts. Disadvantaged mothers-African-American, Hispanic, less educated, and unmarried-experience greater deterioration in their health than advantaged mothers-those who are white, married, and college educated.