Poverty Simulations Highlight Daily Financial Barriers

Community poverty simulations in Florida and Missouri put local leaders, volunteers and health-professions students in the roles of people with limited resources, requiring them to navigate expenses and barriers involving food, housing, utilities, transportation, child care and health care. Participants described the exercises as stressful and frustrating, illustrating how competing needs and unexpected setbacks can make it difficult to secure assistance or meet basic obligations. Joplin’s annual simulation aims to turn that experience into action by encouraging participants to identify ways their organizations and communities can remove barriers for residents. Separately, a study of University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston students found that a three-hour simulation was followed by more empathetic attitudes toward people in poverty and improvements in reported attitudes, emotions and competencies.