More than half of 1,000 renters have put medical care on hold due to cost constraints, according to a survey of renters and medical professionals recently released by Enterprise Community Partners. Nine out of 10 health care professionals surveyed said their patients reported financial issues as the biggest source of stress in their lives. While most medical professionals predicted that their lower-income patients would prioritize medical bills ahead of rent, 95 percent of lower-income renters said they in fact prioritize rent. Brian Rahmer, vice president of health and housing at Enterprise, says there is a link between housing insecurity and health, “whether it’s housing that is poorly designed or maintained that makes its residents sick, stress from needing to move often or skipping needed care and medication in order to make rent.”
To learn more about how housing impacts health, check out the “Affordable Housing Benefits Health” report on the NC Housing Finance Agency’s Policy and Research page, or read about cost-saving housing investment options for health insurers in our “Health through Housing” document.
