The study will identify Latino adults, aged 18 to 64, who live in the West and South Bronx and are eligible for low income housing assistance. The participants will fall into three groups: those who live in Section 8 subsidized housing environments, those living in government subsidized public housing developments, and those in unsubsidized housing. Housing vouchers allow low or very low income individuals or families to live in privately owned housing in mixed-income neighborhoods. Government subsidized housing developments lead to a high concentration of low and very low income households in an area. Those in unsubsidized housing, while eligible for assistance, do not receive it for a variety of reasons and thus pay market price for their housing.

Researchers will administer a survey to participants who qualify for housing assistance during in-home visits. They will collect information on physical activity and diet, and a broad range of socio-demographic and health information. They will also measure weight, height, and waist circumference. Aspects of neighborhood environments will be measured using census and administrative data, and data obtained from commercial services. The questionnaires will also ask about participants' stress to see if elevated levels are seen in neighborhoods designated hazardous, or dangerous, as determined by city measures.

Einstein's grant is one of 13, totaling nearly $6 million, that the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation distributed to researchers to explore how housing impacts children, families, and communities. The grants will be used to produce a base of empirical evidence to show how housing affects children's cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development and how housing choices shape the economic, physical, and emotional well-being of adults.

Source: Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University