Opportunity for Health

The American Dream

Our country’s unique ideal is about economic opportunity—the idea that anyone can rise up in social class, regardless of their background. However, in recent decades, the American Dream has faded away for many. For others, it was never a reality. Economic opportunity (or a lack thereof) can affect our lives in many ways. Our work focuses on one major question: how does economic opportunity affect our health? In answering this question, our goal is to identify and develop policies that improve access to the American Dream and bolster population health.

Better Opportunity, Better Health.

We at Opportunity for Health are dedicated to understanding how the American Dream affects America’s health, and identifying ways to help bolster both economic opportunity and health. Our research uses advanced statistical techniques and new data on economic opportunity—and the events and policies that shape it—to achieve these goals. The takeaway?

Economic opportunity—the extent to which one’s income does not depend on that of their parents’—is good for health.

We aim to work closely with partners in academia, government, and industry to leverage our findings to improve the health of all Americans.

Topics

Immigration Policy, Opportunity, and Health

Structural Racism and Health Disparities

Health Consequences of a Changing Economy

Opportunity Policy

Our Impact

The Latest

Association of WIC Participation and Electronic Benefits Transfer Implementation

Research Article · JAMA Pediatrics

Declining Life Expectancy in the United States: The Need for Social Policy as Health Policy

Research Article · JAMA

The Ties Between Structural Racism, Voting Rights, and Health Equity

Video · Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics

Association between receipt of unemployment insurance and food insecurity among people who lost employment during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

Research Article · JAMA Network Open

Economic Opportunity, Drug Overdose Mortality, and Disability

Research Article · Center for Financial Security, University of Wisconsin, Working Paper

more updates

@OppforHealthLab

Opportunity for Health Lab @OppforHealthLab·

Join @RourkeOBrien, @atheendar (both of OfH), @TisaSherry, and Marcia Galvan at 1P EST to hear about the adverse health consequences of labor market #automation and policies and programs to address these consequences!

Sign up here: https://cfs.wisc.edu/2021/03/23/webinar-registration-open-the-rise-of-industrial-robots-and-increased-overdose-and-disability-rates-a-story-of-automation-and-addiction-in-the-u-s/

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