Scientific Research and Program Evaluation
 

Ongoing Research Projects

Analysis of Lead-Safe Weatherization Practices and the Presence of Lead in Weatherized Homes
An Evaluation of Green Housing Rehabilitation in Minnesota
Maine Weatherization and Respiratory Health Project
Development of a Standardized Home Assessment for Asthma: A Multi-Site Study
Milwaukee Healthy Homes
Phoenix Healthy Homes
Lead Technical Study with Howard University
Cincinnati HOME Project

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Lead-Safe Weatherization
The National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and support from Battelle, partnered with state weatherization programs in Rhode Island (RI) and Maryland (MD) and with local agencies in Indianapolis, Indiana (IN) to conduct a study of the effect of weatherization activities on levels of lead in settled dust in homes. Please click here for more information and to download the report Analysis of Lead-Safe Weatherization Practices and the Presence of Lead in Weatherized Homes

For more information, please contact Jill Breysse at jbreysse@centerforhealthyhousing.org

An Evaluation of Green Housing Rehabilitation in Minnesota
This 3-year project, begun in 2006 and funded through grants from the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Foundation of Minnesota, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Enterprise Community Partners will demonstrate practical measures to reduce health hazards during the substantial rehabilitation of affordable housing using the Green Communities criteria. These renovations are expected to reduce the number of children being exposed to indoor air pollutants and reduce the number of families exposed to asthma triggers. Click here for more information about this project and to view photos from the November kickoff event.

Maine Weatherization and Respiratory Health Project
The Maine State Housing Authority in partnership with The National Center for Healthy Housing explored asthma rates among the occupants in housing units served by Maine's Weatherization program and documented moisture and mold problems, which are known housing-based asthma triggers. The goal of this effort is to better understand the moisture and mold hazards and asthma rates in households where Weatherization work occurs in order to begin a discussion on how to effectively target Weatherization and other resources to address housing based asthma triggers. This work was supported by a grant from the Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust.

Click here for more information and to download the Asthma and Weatherization in Maine document

Development of a Standardized Home Assessment for Asthma: A Multi-Site Study
Asthma is the most common childhood chronic disease and is the leading non-injury cause of hospitalization for children ages 0-15. Researchers and practitioners have yet to agree on a set of home assessment tools to identify and quantify the hazards. The National Center for Healthy Housing will develop a standardized home assessment for asthma though a multi-site study. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop a set of practical, widely accessible assessment tools that can be used by both public health practitioners and scientific researchers. The project will explore the performance of two types of home assessments, one to be used by healthy housing practitioners/community groups who have limited access to technologies such as vacuum samplers, and the other to be used by researchers who have access to the full range of assessment tools in predicting asthma severity. For more information, please contact Jonathan Wilson at jwilson@centerforhealthyhousing.org

Milwaukee Healthy Homes Grant
Funded by HUD, this project is a randomized controlled trial of the Milwaukee Healthy Homes Demonstration Project. All homes receive lead hazard control treatments, if needed, and bed casings for all mattresses to prevent exposure to dust mites. In addition, the group receives: case management services, dust decontamination, integrated pest management, and minor home repair. The project team will study the effect of the treatments on quality of life indicators for asthmatic children and their families after 12-months. The study will also examine the effects of the intervention on dust mite and cockroach allergen levels at 3-, 6-, and 12-months and the effect of the treatment on cat and dog allergens at 12-months. Data analysis will begin in January 2006, with a final report to be prepared in early spring 2006. For more information, please contact Jill Breysse at jbreysse@centerforhealthyhousing.org

Phoenix Heatlhy Homes
NCHH is working with the Phoenix Children's Hospital to examine the influence of its case management services and minor building treatments on asthma triggers and safety hazards in the homes of asthmatic children. Pre- and post-intervention visual assessments  of safety hazards and asthma triggers will serve as the primary measure of effectiveness. For more information, please contact Sherry Dixon at sdixon@centerforhealthyhousing.org

Lead Technical Study with Howard University
NCHH is partnering with Howard University's Center for Urban Progress to carry out a lead technical study funded by HUD. This is a participatory research program involving several tasks. The first task is to evaluate the effectiveness of Washington, DC's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program's (CLPPP) case management strategies. NCHH will also update its 1997 report entitled Designing and Managing Lead Hazard Control Programs: Lessons Learned to Date. Finally, NCHH will examine which housing conditions and characteristics are most predictive of lead hazards to enable agencies to prescribe the most appropriate treatments for housing units. For more information, please contact Carol Kawecki at ckawecki@centerforhealthyhousing.org.

Cincinnati HOME Project
As part of an NIEHS-HUD project with Dr. Bruce Lanphear of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, NCHH is contributing to a major study to determine the effectiveness of lead hazard control as a primary prevention strategy. Mothers will be enrolled in their first trimesters and their children will be followed until 36 months of age. A total of four hundred children are being enrolled. Half of the units are randomly assigned for treatments to reduce dust lead hazards in the homes to levels at least five times lower than the federal standards. The other half of the homes are being treated to prevent unintentional injuries. NCHH developed the assessment and hazard control treatment plan, is monitoring the project team's work, and will review the data analysis and the report. Partner: Cincinatti Children's Medical Center. For more information, please contact Jonathan Wilson at jwilson@centerforhealthyhousing.org

Research and Evaluation - completed
Training and Technical Assistance - active
Training and Technical Assistance - completed
Policy
Demonstration
 

Research and Evaluation
(Active Projects)

Research and Evaluation
(Completed Projects)

Training and Technical Assistance
(Active Projects)

Training and Technical Assistance
(Completed Projects)

Demonstration

Policy