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Study examines financial sustainability of affordable housing-with-services models for older adults

The study found that funding for supportive services is a significant hurdle, and innovative solutions are needed to secure reliable funding. Housing models with integrated services have proven popular among better-off individuals, but limited options remain for older people with fewer resources.

Researchers at MedStar Health and Georgetown Law find success in integrating lawyers into care teams to support pregnant and postpartum patients

The Perinatal LAW Project, a medical-legal partnership, helps pregnant and postpartum patients tackle unmet legal needs, such as housing and financial insecurity. By integrating lawyers into care teams, healthcare providers can better support patients' health-harming legal issues, leading to improved birth outcomes.

SourceMedStar Health Research Institute·JournalObstetrics and Gynecology·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateOct 27, 2023

Private renting is making you age faster

A study by the University of Adelaide found that renting leads to faster biological ageing, with negative health impacts comparable to unemployment or being a former smoker. The researchers suggest policies like ending 'no-grounds' evictions and improving conditions could mitigate these effects.

SourceUniversity of Adelaide·JournalJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health·DateOct 11, 2023

Addressing social determinants of health in post-overdose outreach associated with greater reduction in fatal opioid overdoses

New research from Boston Medical Center's Grayken Center for Addiction found that municipalities offering wide-ranging social services to overdose survivors saw a 21% decrease in fatal overdoses. The study suggests connections to housing, food, employment, and transportation may be key to successful post-overdose outreach programs.

SourceBoston Medical Center·JournalInternational Journal of Drug Policy·DateSep 14, 2023

Study examines role of religion in substance use services, finds it's often located in racially diverse communities

A study by University of Kansas and Georgetown University found that facilities with more religious orientation offered a wider range of services and were located in racially diverse communities. This can help service providers make better referrals and provide a roadmap for other communities to better understand their substance use se...

SourceUniversity of Kansas·JournalJournal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work Social Thought·TypeSurvey·DateSep 5, 2023

Heart transplant patients from socioeconomically distressed communities face higher mortality, organ failure risk

Research reveals that heart transplant recipients from economically disadvantaged areas are at a greater risk of graft failure and mortality, with a 10% increased relative risk compared to those from non-distressed communities. The disparity in outcomes has widened since the implementation of the 2018 UNOS Heart Allocation policy.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalAnnals of Surgery·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 31, 2023

MU researchers study barriers and facilitators to accessing health care in rural Missouri

A recent MU study found that health and healthcare organizations are increasingly offering basic social services, such as transportation, housing, food, and mental health support, to address disparities in health outcomes. The research team explored innovative solutions implemented by care coordinators and social services to help overc...

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalProfessional Case Management·TypeSurvey·DateAug 28, 2023

UC economist finds strong link between park funding, home values

A UC economist found a strong correlation between park funding and home values in Ohio communities. House prices were 13% higher three years after voting to renew tax levies for recreational areas, but not immediately after the vote. The study suggests that underfunded parks may be a contributing factor to lower housing values.

SourceUniversity of Cincinnati·JournalJournal of Regional Science·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 25, 2023

Digital real estate listings with more photos, descriptions earn higher sale prices

A recent study by Iowa State University found that listings with more experiential features, such as photos and descriptions, increase the sale price of properties. The researchers analyzed data from Zillow and found that experience attributes play a bigger role in sale prices for homes valued above or below the neighborhood average.

SourceIowa State University·JournalInformation Systems Research·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 22, 2023

Can AI help hospitals spot patients in need of extra non-medical assistance?

A new study shows that a rule-based natural language processing tool successfully identified patients with unstable access to transportation, food insecurity, social isolation, financial problems, and signs of abuse or exploitation. The tool performed better than deep learning algorithms in identifying these social determinants of health.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalHealth Services Research·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 14, 2023

Investors force Black families out of home ownership, new research shows

A new study by Georgia Institute of Technology reveals that investors have significantly impacted the availability of housing in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Investors are most likely to buy up homes in majority-minority neighborhoods, effectively cutting Black families out of home ownership, resulting in over $4 billion lost equity.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalJournal of Planning Education and Research·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 8, 2023

The good advice that could lift people out of poverty

A University of East Anglia study finds that providing access to housing, debt, and benefit advice within food banks can help lift people out of poverty. The 'Making a Difference' initiative sees representatives from Citizens Advice and Shelter posted within food bank services, offering personalized support to vulnerable individuals.

SourceUniversity of East Anglia·JournalPerspectives in Public Health·TypeSurvey·DateJul 12, 2023

Escaping exploitation with nowhere to go: Barriers in accommodating survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery

The research found that immigration status and inability to secure an ongoing income are significant barriers for human trafficking and modern slavery survivors to access accommodation. The wait time for social housing is often more than 10 years, and strict guidelines limit eligibility.

SourceUniversity of South Australia·JournalAnti-Trafficking Review·TypeSurvey·DateJul 4, 2023

Historical Redlining May Be Linked to Current Kidney Failure

A new study finds that long-term disinvestment in health and wealth resources in historically redlined neighborhoods contributes to a disproportionate rate of kidney failure among Black adults. Redlining, the discriminatory federal housing policy from the 1930s, has been associated with current racial inequities in poor health outcomes.

SourceBoston University School of Public Health·JournalJournal of the American Society of Nephrology·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 29, 2023

Study proposes simple low-cost solutions to improve thermal comfort in social housing

Researchers developed a pilot study to address the issue of thermal discomfort in social housing projects. They proposed replacing conventional windows with fully openable tilting windows, monolithic expanded polystyrene walls, and green-tinted tempered glass, which can reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

KC-based study shows evictions happen most in predominantly Black neighborhoods, homes with children

A new study from the University of Kansas shows that neighborhood characteristics such as being predominantly Black and having families with children are strongly associated with higher eviction rates. In contrast, gentrified neighborhoods or those with high rents do not predict increased eviction levels.

SourceUniversity of Kansas·JournalJournal of Urban Affairs·TypeMeta-analysis·DateMay 31, 2023

Modular builds may help construction industry weather a perfect storm

A new study suggests that modular production techniques can minimize construction delays caused by weather, resulting in cost savings for builders. The research estimates that using modular construction can reduce costs by approximately AUD$40,000 on a $6.4 million project.

SourceUniversity of South Australia·JournalInternational Journal of Sustainable Building Technology and Urban Development·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 22, 2023

Engineering: The house that diapers built

Researchers found that disposable diaper waste can replace up to 8% of sand in concrete and mortar used to build a single-story house, reducing construction costs. The study suggests using this unconventional material for low-cost housing in low- and middle-income countries.

SourceScientific Reports·JournalScientific Reports·DateMay 18, 2023

Pet rabbits need freedom to exercise, study finds

A new study finds that pet rabbits require daily freedom to exercise outside their home enclosure, even in larger hutches with access to an exercise area. The research highlights the importance of allowing pairs of rabbits to move freely throughout the day.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalApplied Animal Behaviour Science·TypeObservational study·DateApr 25, 2023

Wellbeing-related factors linked with EU economic growth

A new study reveals that certain wellbeing-related factors, such as household income, internet access, and air pollution levels, are associated with economic growth in European Union countries. Western Europe's strong link to economic growth is attributed to disposable household income, inter-regional mobility, and housing, whereas Cen...

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeObservational study·DateApr 19, 2023

Evictions and infant and child health outcomes

This systematic review found associations between evictions and adverse birth outcomes, with childhood exposure linked to neurodevelopment harms. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing rental housing affordability crises and ongoing racial disparities in evictions.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateApr 11, 2023

Internet access must become human right or we risk ever-widening inequality

A new study calls for internet access to be declared a basic human right to address socio-economic disparities. In developing countries, internet access can determine education, healthcare, housing, and employment outcomes. The study advocates for free internet access and digital skills training to ensure equal opportunities.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalPolitics Philosophy & Economics·TypeMeta-analysis·DateApr 7, 2023

UBC Okanagan researchers create real estate market assessment tool

A team of UBC Okanagan researchers has developed a regional house price mining and forecasting framework (RHPMF) that provides comprehensive reports on neighborhood data. The tool helps users analyze population, social dynamics, housing costs, and historical background to assess the market and make informed decisions.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia Okanagan campus·JournalInformation Fusion·TypeMeta-analysis·DateApr 6, 2023

Australians paying $6 billion for unused apartment parking

A new study found that 20% of households have too little allocated parking and 13.4% of surveyed households do not own a car but are still allocated a parking space. Experts are calling for planning policy to 'unbundle' parking spaces from apartments to reduce housing costs and alleviate street parking woes.

SourceRMIT University·JournalJournal of Transport Geography·TypeSurvey·DateMar 29, 2023

Housing plays key role in disaster preparedness

A new national study found that households facing housing insecurity score lower on disaster preparedness scales, highlighting the importance of secure housing for disaster resilience. Housing security is vital for people to be better prepared for disasters, according to researchers.

SourceOhio State University·JournalGlobal Environmental Change·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMar 23, 2023