Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey Series

collection: series

Studies

8

Variables

5,220

Publications

97

About this Collection

Federal and state policymakers are weighing changes to programs that help low-income people meet their basic needs for food, medical care, and shelter. As they consider these changes to the public safety net, policymakers have few tools to monitor trends in material hardship as the economy evolves and new policies take effect.

To fill this gap, the Urban Institute launched the Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey (WBNS) in December 2017 to track individual and family well-being at a time when the safety net faces transition. By assessing the ability of adults and their families to meet basic needs, the survey can provide a broader understanding of material well-being than income-based poverty indicators. For more information, please visit the project website.

Studies

8 results

Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey, United States, 2024

In December 2017, the Urban Institute launched the Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey (WBNS), a nationally representative, internet-based survey of non-elderly adults designed to monitor changes in individual and family well-being during a time when policymakers were considering significant changes to federal safety net programs serving low-income families. The 2024 round of the survey collected information on a broad array of topics related to health, material hardship, and the safety net, including health insurance, housing, food security, employment, family income, charitable food, program participation, family financial security, disability, experiences with health care providers, attitudes toward discussing social needs in health care settings, experiences of discrimination, tax filing, experiences with SNAP, awareness of and interest in Food is Medicine programs, impact of criminal legal fines and fees, and immigration.
Partially restricted

Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey, United States, 2023

In December 2017, the Urban Institute launched the Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey (WBNS), a nationally representative, internet-based survey of non-elderly adults designed to monitor changes in individual and family well-being during a time when policymakers are considering significant changes to federal safety net programs serving low-income families. The 2023 round of the survey collects information on a broad array of topics related to health, material hardship, and the safety net, including health insurance, housing, food security, employment, family income, program participation, family financial security, disability, Long COVID, experiences of discrimination, exposure to extreme heat at work, renewal of Medicaid coverage, use of buy now pay later options and other forms of credit to pay for groceries, impact of criminal legal fines and fees, exposure to environmental disasters and extreme weather events, and immigration issues.
Partially restricted

Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey, United States, 2022

In December 2017, the Urban Institute launched the Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey (WBNS), a nationally representative, internet-based survey of non-elderly adults designed to monitor changes in individual and family well-being during a time when policymakers are considering significant changes to federal safety net programs serving low-income families. The 2022 round of the survey collects information on a broad array of topics related to health, material hardship, and the safety net, including health insurance, housing, food security, employment, family income, program participation, family financial security, disability, COVID-19 and Long COVID, unmet medical needs, effects of price inflation, student loans, experiences of discrimination, and immigration issues.

Variables

5,220 results
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