Originally published on Urban Milwaukee. Doctor: Evictions akin to “toxic exposure” Dr. Megan Sandel, a pediatrician at Boston Medical Center, said at least a third of the 14,000 families whose children are seen at the center have fallen behind on their rent, a figure mirrored in national reports. Hospital officials worry that an evictions spike would trigger […]
Originally published on NPR. Doctor: Evictions akin to “toxic exposure” Megan Sandel, a pediatrician at Boston Medical Center, says at least a third of the 14,000 families with children that seek treatment at her medical center have fallen behind on their rent, a figure mirrored in national reports. Hospital officials worry that evictions during the pandemic […]
This pandemic has magnified the vulnerability of housing insecure and homeless families. We encourage health care providers to investigate how local and state policies are affecting these children and families. Pediatricians can speak up for children by coalition building with community organizations and government affairs specialists, calling legislators to voice their concerns, volunteering as an […]
Decades of research demonstrate the importance of a safe, stable, affordable home as a foundation for health beginning in the prenatal period and extending over the life course. 1 Unfortunately, in the United States today, millions of children face housing circumstances that harm their health and, as a result, increase unnecessary health care utilization. 2 […]
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, housing instability and homelessness were linked to poor physical and mental health outcomes for children and adults. But the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic crisis highlight the critical intersection between where you live and health in myriad ways. Solutions that respond to the complex nature of these interlocking issues are needed more […]
Abstract The effects of housing instability and homelessness on child and adult health are well documented. However, few studies have explored health and housing interventions for families with children with the objective of health improvement. Housing Prescriptions as Health Care is a randomized controlled trial that is investigating the impact on physical and mental health […]
In this issue of JAMA Pediatrics, the findings of Boudreaux et al1 suggest that federal rental assistance for families with low incomes may be important for reducing emergency department visits for asthma. This study adds to the increasing body of research on the ways in which housing assistance is associated with health and has implications for housing […]
Abstract: Few studies examined the impact of maternal socioeconomic status and of its combined effects with environmental exposures on birthweight. Our goal was to examine the impact of maternal homelessness (mothers ever homeless or who lived in shelters during pregnancy) and participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) during […]
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Children with special health care needs (SHCNs) have significant medical and educational expenses affecting household finances. Housing instability can be detrimental to family well-being. Our objective was to evaluate housing instability in households of children with and without SHCNs. METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys (2013–2017) in English and Spanish of caregivers with children <4 […]