A Creighton University research study, funded in large part by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is investigating the role financial stress can play on the health of single mothers.
Nicole White, assistant professor in the Creighton School of Pharmacy and a principal investigator on the study, says because financial issues are the number one cause of stress in the United States, and stress is known to affect a number of health issues, they are investigating whether improving financial literacy and confidence will translate to better overall health.
“What we’re hoping to find from this study is that financial information that is aimed at helping to fix some of the immediate financial issues that a lot of these women are under can reduce that stress and free up some of their self reserve and energy and thought to start spending more time thinking about some of these other areas that are related to their health.”
White says they will compare health-monitoring data of women who attend a year-long financial literacy program through Creighton’s Financial Hope Collaborative with those who receive only the health monitoring. Ultimately, however, all participants will be eligible to complete the financial literacy portion.
White says they could use more study participants between the ages of 19 and 55 who are the single head of a household and meet certain income guidelines. They hope to include 450 single mothers in this study, which will wrap up in 2020.
More information is available at Financial Hope Collaborative on Facebook, or by calling 402-280-3736.