High-need New Yorkers delayed or went without mental healthcare at higher rates than physical health- care. Among those with persistent housing hardship, 60% during the peak period and 63% during the waning period reported delaying or not receiving needed mental health services. As with physical health- care, those with persistent hardship consistently had the highest rates of unmet care: in the peak period, individuals with persistent hardship were nearly twice as likely to go without mental healthcare as those with stable housing (60% vs. 32%). As the pandemic waned, the share of high-need New Yorkers delaying or going without mental healthcare increased among those with stable housing and those with persistent hardship, while it declined somewhat among those with some housing hardship (that is, a spell of housing hardship in one year) . Figure 5: High-need New Yorkers with persistent housing hardship were more likely to delay or forgo mental healthcare than those with stable housing. High-need New Yorkers with persistent housing hardship were more likely to delay or forgo mental healthcare than those with stable housing. Figure 5
Stable Housing Some Housing Hardship Persistent Housing Hardship
100%
90%
80%
70%
63%
60%
60%
54%
47%
50%
45%
40%
32%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Peak (2021 - 2022)
Waning (2023 - 2024)
High-need New Yorkers experiencing housing hardship also reported greater difficulty getting to their health- care appointments (Figure 6). During the peak period, 21% of those with some hardship and 19% of those with persistent hardship reported difficulty getting to their last appointment, roughly double the level among those with stable housing (10%). By the waning period, difficulty getting to appointments increased across all groups. The share of individuals with persistent hardship reporting difficulty rose to 29%, more than double the level among those with stable housing (14%). As in-person utilization of healthcare became more com- monplace as the pandemic waned, so too did New Yorkers’ reported difficulty getting to their appointments. Note: Results are among high-need New Yorkers who reported needing mental healthcare. Source: Poverty Tracker longitudinal survey data, cohorts three, four, and five. High-need refers to New Yorkers with high healthcare needs, such as multiple chronic health conditions, serious psychological distress, or a work-limiting health condition. Source: Poverty Tracker longitudinal survey data, cohorts three, four, and five. High-need refers to New Yorkers with high healthcare needs, such as multiple chronic health conditions, serious psychological distress, or a work-limiting health condition. Note: Results are among high-need New Yorkers who reported needing mental healthcare.
HOW HOUSING IS LINKED TO HEALTHCARE ACCESS AMONG NEW YORKERS SINCE THE PANDEMIC 11
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