PNAS published an RCT entitled "Unconditional Cash Transfers Reduce Homelessness." Quick take: The RCT found no discernible impact on any primary or secondary study outcome. The claimed effect on homelessness (an exploratory outcome) is unreliable due to sample loss of over 50%. 

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Program and Study Design:

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• The study randomly assigned 22 homeless shelters in Vancouver, British Columbia - containing a total of 144 homeless participants - to treatment (a one-time cash transfer of CAD $7500 per person) vs control (services as usual).

 

Findings:

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• The study found no discernible impact on any prespecified primary or secondary outcome (related to cognitive functioning, subjective well-being, & self-efficacy). The study abstract - shown below - doesn't mention this fact and instead portrays the findings as unambiguously positive.

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• Also, I think the claimed effect on homelessness over 1 year (an exploratory outcome) is unreliable for multiple reasons, but most notably: The study lost more than half its sample over the year, and the loss was higher in the C group (63%) than T group (51%), undermining randomization.

 

Comment:

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• Such inaccurate/unbalanced reporting of findings in study abstracts is unfortunately all too common, even in top journals like PNAS. I focus on abstracts because readers who may be too busy to review a full study often look to the abstract for an impartial summary of the main results.

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• Unfortunately, the study received uncritical press coverage in today’s Washington Post (9/1/23).