Welfare Receipt Trajectories of African-American Women Followed for 30 Years

Abstract

Although there has been much discussion about the persistence of poverty and welfare receipt among child-rearing women in the US, little is known about longterm patterns of poverty and welfare receipt or what differentiates those who remain on welfare from those who do not. Furthermore, are there distinctions between childrearing women who are poor but not on welfare from those who do receive welfare? This study examined trajectories of welfare receipt and poverty among AfricanAmerican women (n=680) followed from 1966 to 1997. A semiparametric group-based approach revealed four trajectories of welfare receipt: no welfare (64.2%), early leavers (12.7%), late leavers (10.1%), and persistent welfare recipients (10.1%). The "no welfare" group was further divided into a poverty group and a not poverty group to distinguish predictors of welfare from predictors of poverty. Multivariate analyses revealed differences in predictors of trajectory groups in terms of education, physical and psychological health, and social integration. In addition, earlier chronic illness and social integration were important predictors to differentiate between long-term users (i.e., late leavers, persistent recipients) and short-term users (i.e., early leavers). Trajectories did not differ in teenage motherhood, substance use, or family history of welfare receipt. Implications for public policy are discussed.

Cannabis and social welfare assistance: a longitudinal study

“…Furthermore, many studies of the consequences of substance use and abuse with regard to receipt of social welfare assistance have been conducted in areas with high levels of poverty and where welfare systems are not well developed [2,10]. By contrast, Norway is classified as a social democratic welfare regime, with currently the lowest unemployment rate in Europe [11], a high standard of living and a universal pension system [12].…”

Social assistance trajectories among young adults in Finland: What are the determinants of welfare dependency?

“…However, it is likely that substantial heterogeneity can be found in benefit recipiency trajectories (cf., Hamil‐Luker, ). For instance, those leaving social assistance can be categorized as early or late leavers (Juon et al, ).…”

“…In general, studies analyzing trajectories that focus on poverty or social assistance receipt have been relatively scarce (for exceptions, see e.g., Juon, Green, Fothergill, Kasper, Thorpe, & Ensminger, 2010;Kim & Shin, 2014;Vandecasteele, 2010;Wagmiller, Kuang, Aber, Lennon, & Alberti, 2006). Studies have typically described the dynamic characteristics of social assistance by using a priori classifications and these may not fully represent heterogeneity in individual trajectories (e.g., Kauppinen et al, 2014;Snel, Reelick, & Groenenboom, 2013).…”

The differential role of human capital and health in explaining welfare exit‐route and labour outcomes

“…Conversely, a study that examined trajectories of receiving welfare among African‐American women in Chicago over 30 years produced no evidence that being a high school dropout increased welfare use (Juon et al, ). Furthermore, women with richer human capital have been found to be more likely to leave welfare through work (e.g., Heflin, ; Num, ).…”

“…Turning to health, most research has shown that health problems correlate positively with the accumulation of more time on welfare (Danziger & Seefeldt, ; Juon et al, ; Passarella & Born, ; Seefeldt & Orzol, ). For example, Num () found that physical health problems significantly reduce the rate of moving from welfare to work.…”