Looking forward: The need for evidence is greater than ever
In 2019, our understanding of the role of the social determinants of health in building a Culture of Health grew. At Policies for Action, we responded to an increasing need for research on policies and solutions that promote health, well-being, and health equity.
We helped build the evidence base in key areas of policy research, including gentrification, work-family supports, Medicaid work requirements, minimum wage and the earned income tax credit, and federally subsidized housing. Informing the national dialogue, a P4A research study was cited in first-ever legislation aimed at addressing the social determinants of health.
Click here to learn more about last year’s accomplishments and what’s next for P4A in 2020.
An equity-first preemption framework
Preemption is a legal doctrine that allows a higher level of government to limit or even eliminate the power of a lower jurisdiction in order to regulate a certain issue. Some state legislatures are using preemption with increasing regularity to thwart local policies with the potential to reduce health inequities. In an article in the Milbank Quarterly, P4A researcher Jennifer Karaz Montez explains how shortcomings in existing preemption frameworks demonstrate the need for new approaches to elevate equity as a central consideration. Her team proposes the development of an equity-first preemption framework to help ensure local governments remain places of innovation while allowing states and the federal government to block local actions that promote inequities.
Subsidized housing renovations and tenants’ health
Many public and subsidized housing developments in the US are aging and need significant repairs. In February, Health Affairs
published a P4A study evaluating a recent renovation of New York City public housing developments. P4A researchers at the New York University Wagner Graduate School of Public Service assessed whether the renovation and transfer of public housing to private managers led to improvements in tenants’ health over three years. There were no significant improvements in individual health outcomes, but significant relative improvements in overall disease burden were found when measured using an index of housing-sensitive conditions. Researchers did not expect significant effects on any single health condition in the short run but indicate that subsidized housing renovations may significantly improve residents’ overall well-being over time.
P4A researchers at the University of Iowa and the University of Chicago examined the effects of the minimum wage on child health and whether the health impacts differ throughout certain periods of child development. The research showed an increase in the minimum wage throughout childhood is associated with a large improvement in child health, with much of the benefits of a higher minimum wage associated with the early childhood development window between birth and age 5.
New Narratives of Hope This Black History Month—And Beyond: More than 50 years after the civil rights movement, we still have a lot to do to reduce discrimination and increase health equity. In an Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health blog post, Dwayne Proctor reflects on the role of stories in the search for solutions.
