PHRESH Research Can Help Pittsburgh Residents Shape the Future of Their Neighborhoods

RAND's Pittsburgh Hill/Homewood Research on Neighborhood Change and Health (PHRESH) project has been studying the way neighborhood investments in the Hill District and Homewood residents of Pittsburgh affect diet, sleep, health and well-being for more than 10 years. Findings have shown that when residents are involved in decisions shaping their neighborhood, communities can become healthier and happier.

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How Does Neighborhood Environment Impact Health Outcomes?
Sep 8, 2011

The PHRESH project examines how neighborhood characteristics—like access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats—could make residents more or less healthy.
Food Insecurity Spiked in Two African American Neighborhoods During Early Months of Pandemic
Jan 21, 2021

Food insecurity spiked among residents living in two predominantly African American neighborhoods during the first weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, far outpacing food insecurity observed among the general U.S. population during the same period.
Broken Windows, Broken Zzzs: Poor Housing and Neighborhood Conditions Are Associated with Objective Measures of Sleep Health
Apr 29, 2020
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel, Ann C. Haas, et al.

Sleep is a critical contributor to health and well-being, and sleep disturbances may contribute to racial and socioeconomic disparities in health. This study examined the association between housing and block conditions and sleep in two low-income urban neighborhoods.
Does Large-Scale Neighborhood Reinvestment Work?
Mar 5, 2020
Matthew D. Baird, Heather L. Schwartz @schwartz_hl, et al.

How did significant public–private real estate investments impact house prices and crime in a distressed neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, compared with a demographically similar neighborhood that did not receive the same level of investment?