Dear John,

Join us for our next edition of Policy Spotlight on Thursday, February 22, as we welcome back Micky Tripathi, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Gentrification And Disparities In Exposure to Determinants of Health

In the February 2024 Housing & Health issue of Health Affairs, Arthur Acolin of the University of Washington, Seattle and his team of coauthors explore how living in a gentrified neighborhood affects exposure to determinants of health across different racial and ethnic groups.

After examining gentrifying census tracts in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle, they determine that Black and Hispanic residents were more likely than White and Asian residents to be in Medically Underserved Areas and experience worse social deprivation, among other findings. 

The authors conclude that these findings could inform policies addressed at those who might face worsening contextual determinants of health due to gentrification.

They advocate for policies that promote permanently affordable housing, promote health equity, and mitigate the impacts of gentrification.

Sandra Newman on Housing Vouchers and the Measurable Medical Benefits Provided

Health Affairs' Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interviews Sandra Newman of the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health on her recent paper that explores the measurable health and related benefits of housing vouchers to families. The benefits observed included parental stress reduction, improved cost burdens, neighborhood safety, and many other impacts.

Value-Based Payment Models Can Improve Appropriate And Equitable Use Of Prescription Drugs

Christina Bush et al.

March-In Guidance For Publicly Funded Drugs: A Necessary Safety Net For Patients

Jerry Avorn and Aaron S. Kesselheim

Addressing The Obesity Epidemic Will Require Prevention And Treatment Working Together

Karen Hacker et al.

This Black History Month, we're highlighting influential Black voices and organizations who have made an impact on health equity and policy.

In an August 2023 article, Health Affairs Deputy Editor Jessica Bylander reports on how some communities are working to shift the balance of power and succeeding in improving their health.