Research Review: VETERAN AFFAIRS DISABILITY COMPENSATION: Likely the U.S.’s largest disability program, but what do we know about its impacts on service-disabled veterans?

This research review highlights the complexities of estimating the causal impacts of the Veterans Affairs Disability Compensation (VADC) program. The authors suggest that reliable estimates of the causal impact of VADC on labor market outcomes requires estimates of the causal impact of other programs available to veterans with service-connected disabilities. Currently, there is limited evidence of the causal impact of these programs, pointing to several opportunities for practice, policy, and future research

How Do Gender and Marital Status Impact High-Risk Polysubstance Use?

Drug overdose deaths in the United States increasingly include the use of multiple drugs, known as polysubstance use. These include opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine, tranquilizers, and sedatives. Polysubstance use is considered high risk because it can cause dangerous synergistic effects and result in the ingestion of higher amounts of drugs. This brief summarizes findings from a study that used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health on U.S. adults from 2002 through 2019 to examine gender and marital status differences in high-risk polysubstance use among U.S. adults ages 18 and older. The authors find that polysubstance use is higher among men and marriage was more protective against polysubstance use for men than women

State Policy & Politics Database (SPPD)

The State Policy & Politics Database (SPPD) is a compilation of annual data on state policies and politics that are particularly relevant for population health. The SPPD includes several categories of policies, including labor and economic policies (e.g., minimum wage levels, right to work laws), social safety net policies (e.g., earned income tax credits, SNAP), behavior-related policies (e.g., tobacco taxes, opioid prescribing), as well as the political ideology of the states’ government and citizens. Most measures are available annually from 1980 to 2023 or 2024

State Policy & Politics Database (SPPD)

The State Policy & Politics Database (SPPD) is a compilation of annual data on state policies and politics that are particularly relevant for population health. The SPPD includes several categories of policies, including labor and economic policies (e.g., minimum wage levels, right to work laws), social safety net policies (e.g., earned income tax credits, SNAP), behavior-related policies (e.g., tobacco taxes, opioid prescribing), as well as the political ideology of the states’ government and citizens. Most measures are available annually from 1980 to 2023 or 2024