The Social Epidemiology to Combat Unjust Residential Evictions (SECURE) study, led by Dr. Shawnita Sealy-Jefferson, is a multi-part research project examining how unjust housing evictions—rooted in structural racism—contribute to poor health and reproductive outcomes among Black women in Metro Detroit.
Using a social epidemiological lens, the research examines how the threat or experience of court-ordered or illegal eviction generates chronic stress, harms health, and creates a ripple effect of fear that extends beyond individuals, impacting families, friends, neighbors, and entire communities.
The SECURE Study has informed the development of three published peer-reviewed papers:
Neighborhood Threat of Eviction Over Time and Risk of Preterm Birth in Black American Women
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities - May 2025
This paper offers a deeper analysis of the connection between the violent threat of eviction and preterm birth outcomes among Black women, while also highlighting the broader impact on entire neighborhoods and communities.
Residential Evictions by Life Course, Type, and Timing, and Associations with Self-rated Health: Social Epidemiology to Combat Unjust Residential Evictions (SECURE) Study
Journal of Urban Health - May 2025
This paper uncovers a deeply alarming reality: more than half of Black women—across urban and suburban neighborhoods as well as socioeconomic and educational backgrounds—have experienced a court-ordered or illegal eviction, impacting their physical health, mental and emotional wellbeing and resurfaced trauma from childhood experiences.
Neighborhood Eviction Trajectories and Odds of Moderate and Serious Psychological Distress During Pregnancy Among African American Women
The American Journal of Epidemiology - March 2024
This paper investigates how long-term exposure to high neighborhood eviction rates affects the mental health of Black women during pregnancy, finding increased levels of psychological distress—even among those who were not personally evicted.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.