Adolescent Mental Health and Suicidal Behaviors in the Context of Expanded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility

• Published in: Journal of adolescent health Vol. 75; no. 3; pp. 435 - 441
• Main Authors: Austin, Anna E., Frank, Madeline, Short, Nicole A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.2024
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Adolescent mental health; Eligibility Determination; Female; Food Assistance - statistics & numerical data; Food Insecurity; Humans; Male; Mental Health; Prevalence; Suicidal behaviors; Suicidal Ideation; Suicidal thoughts; Suicide attempts; Suicide, Attempted - psychology; Suicide, Attempted - statistics & numerical data; Supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP); United States - epidemiology; United States; Suicidal behaviors; Suicidal thoughts; Suicide attempts; Food insecurity; Adolescent mental health; Supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP)
• ISSN: 1054-139X; 1879-1972; 1879-1972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.05.028

Food insecurity is a risk factor for poor mental health and suicidal behaviors among adolescents. Prior research shows that states with policies that expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility have a lower prevalence of food insecurity. The primary aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of feelings of sadness or hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among adolescents in states that had the asset test eliminated and the income limit increased for SNAP eligibility to adolescents in states that did not have either policy. Using 2013-2021 data from state Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (N = 855,119) and the SNAP Policy Database, we conducted log-binomial regression with generalized estimating equations and adjusted for confounders. The prevalence of persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness was similar among adolescents in states that had the asset test eliminated only and among adolescents in states that had both the asset test eliminated and the income limit increased (i.e., both policies) compared to adolescents in states that did not have either policy. While the prevalence of suicidal thoughts was similar among adolescents in states that had the asset test eliminated only compared to adolescents in states that did not have either policy, the prevalence of suicidal thoughts (prevalence ratio = 0.91, 95% CI 0.88, 0.94) and suicide attempts (prevalence ratio = 0.82, 95% CI 0.78, 0.86) was lower among adolescents in states that had both policies compared to adolescents in states that did not have either policy. States with policies that expand SNAP eligibility have a lower prevalence of suicidal behaviors among adolescents.