Dr. Montez is part of a team that has published, “US State Policy Contexts and Mental Health Among Working-Age Adults,” in The Milbank Quarterly. This study, led by Dr. Iliya Gutin, reveals that conservative state policy contexts are significant predictors of poorer mental health among working-age adults. Findings show that shifts toward conservatism correlate with increased mental distress and a higher probability of extreme distress, regardless of pandemic-specific policies. These negative impacts are most pronounced for individuals without a college degree, suggesting that state-level policy environments worsen educational health disparities.

View Publication: https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.70077