The association between eviction moratorium and alcohol use disorder treatment in the United States

Alcohol-related morbidity and mortality have risen in recent years while the U.S. confronts a housing affordability crisis. This quasi-experimental event study assessed the association between the end of the federal eviction moratorium and receipt of treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) among U.S. residents.

Using national claims data for June-December 2021, this study calculated state-week measures of AUD treatment. Event study models using Poisson regression estimated how the number of individuals receiving outpatient AUD treatment, prescription medication for AUD, and outpatient treatment for a behavioral health disorder with co-occurring AUD changed in the weeks before and after the federal eviction moratorium expiration in states where evictions resumed (treatment states) compared to states maintaining eviction moratoria (comparison states).

The state-weekly average number of individuals receiving outpatient AUD treatment was 9.95% greater (Confidence Interval (CI): 2.41%, 18.05%), with about 2440 more individuals receiving an outpatient AUD visit per week, than expected in the 5-16 weeks following the expiration of the federal moratorium in states where evictions resumed.

Resumption of evictions was associated with greater than expected rates of outpatient AUD treatment . Findings underscore the importance of considering the connection between housing policy and AUD treatment patterns.