Missourians favored a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage and require some firms to provide paid sick leave on Nov. 5, 2024, just after the Missouri Foundation for Health released a survey showing how economic hardship impacts the health of many BIPOC Missourians.
MFH’s third Speak Up MO report underscores how economic stability is essential to the health and well-being of communities across the state.
“Voters [had] a chance to make their voice heard on raising the minimum wage and earned paid sick leave, which directly address the struggles we see across Missouri,” said Sheldon Weisgrau, vice president of health policy and advocacy at Missouri Foundation for Health.
“We’ve learned that when families feel economically stable, their health improves, stress reduces, and communities become stronger.”
The findings reveal that while many residents remain hopeful about their local economy, the rising costs of essentials and scarcity of high-paying jobs lead to economic strain.
“It’s clear that Missourians are looking for solutions that ensure everyone can meet basic needs and build a stable future,” Weisgrau said.”
1,719 state residents participated in the survey, including 345 BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) individuals. Researchers conducted eight focus groups among BIPOC Missouri residents in Nov. 2023.
Overall, 28 percent of Missourians believe they were “just getting by financially.”
“I have 10 children, my husband has a decent job, but we live paycheck to paycheck,” a St. Louis female participant said.
“It wasn’t always so bad. It’s just getting really hard to buy food and things. We don’t live extravagantly [so] I’m just trying to figure out why that is.”
Some 18 percent of participants believe there are not enough jobs for people who want them, but two-thirds (66 percent) believe not having enough jobs is a “good challenge.”
According to the report, 26 percent of African American Missourians believe they were “just getting by financially,” and 15 percent believe they were “really struggling financially.”
“Prices are going up — food and utilities, and it makes it hard for people,” a St. Louis African American participant said.
“Jobs, they aren’t paying enough [and] everything else is going up and you are not really making enough money is how I look at it.”
The survey found that while almost 60 percent of Missourians feel financially comfortable, few are saving money, which leaves them vulnerable to unexpected financial hardship. Nearly a quarter reported being unable to afford food at least once in the past year.
“Your financial security is probably one of the number one drivers of mental health issues,” a participant from Springfield said. “[When] you are financially secure, [there’s] less stress, less frustration.”
Nearly 10 percent of Missourians have faced eviction in the past year, according to the data. Renters, independents who are female or under 50, those living in St. Louis city and Black people were the most likely to face eviction.
One-third of Missourians say they are worse off than they were a year ago while 42 percent say their financial situation is about the same.
The demographic groups most likely to say they are worse off are individuals who identify as Republican, unemployed, ages 40-49, have children, are uninsured or are not registered to vote, according to the data.
Other factors such as health inequality and violence were mentioned in focus group responses. Participants commented on the racism they witnessed in the healthcare system.
“I watched sometimes how doctors treated [my father] because he was a Black guy versus going to the doctor with my mom who is a white woman; they treated her different,” a St. Louis female participant said. “They sometimes treated her better.”
While crime rates have consistently lowered in the St. Louis region, a participant commented on how crime affects their community.
“Violence is just out of hand; it’s crazy,” a St. Louis female participant said. “People have just, excuse me, but they’ve lost their minds. I’ll say it again, it’s sad, everybody is on the edge, ready to jump off.”
Additionally, when Missourians were asked if they have been unable to afford food to meet the nutrition and dietary needs of their family in the past year, one-quarter of participants responded yes.
According to the data, groups who were most likely unable to afford food include unemployed individuals, renters, uninsured, independent women, disabled individuals, non-college-educated women, single-person households, and independents ages 18-49.
This report is the latest in a series from the Speak Up MO public opinion poll. Previous findings highlighted Missourians’ views on their communities and their challenges in finding affordable health care.