Providence Healthy Homes Study

Healthy Homes programs work to control hazards that cause or worsen respiratory diseases such as asthma.

Goal The Center has been hired by the City of Providence, Rhode Island to evaluate the effectiveness of lead and other environmental and safety hazard interventions in reducing dust lead loadings and cockroach and dust mite allergen levels in dwellings.  With support of a grant from Round VI of HUD's Lead Hazard Control Grant Program and a grant from HUD's Healthy Homes Initiative, interventions and the research study are currently underway.

Description The Providence Lead and Healthy Homes Programs are assessing lead and other environmental and safety hazards in enrolled dwelling units located in low-income neighborhoods in Providence, RI. Identified lead hazards are controlled in all enrolled units, while half of enrolled units are randomly selected for treatment of other identified environmental and safety hazards (i.e., "Healthy Homes" hazards).  Interventions focus on lead-based paint hazards, cockroach and dust mite allergens, moisture-generating conditions, carbon monoxide and conditions that might cause unintentional injuries. 

Prior to intervention, the dwellings are visually inspected to determine their baseline physical condition. Dust samples (wipes for lead, vacuum for allergen) are collected before and immediately after intervention and analyzed to determine dust lead loading and concentration of cockroach and mite allergens. Humidity and temperature conditions are monitored inside and outside the enrolled dwellings for a continuous period beginning before intervention and lasting up to 18 months. After obtaining written informed consent, a tenant in each occupied enrolled unit is interviewed to identify factors that may influence environmental sampling results. Data are also collected to identify the specific interventions undertaken in each enrolled dwelling, as well as the costs of lead hazard control  and Healthy Homes work. The Center plans to compare conditions in the two sets of dwelling units (i.e., those treated only for lead and those treated for both lead and Healthy Homes hazards) before and after intervention to determine the extent to which hazards are controlled. 

Future Plans A final report is expected to be completed by early 2003. Providence has applied to HUD for funds to collect environmental data from all enrolled dwellings one year after lead and Healthy Homes treatments are completed. This will enable the study to determine the environmental condition of the two sets of dwelling units at one year post-intervention. At the one year anniversary, the residents then living in enrolled units will be given an interview similar to the one given before lead and Healthy Homes treatments were carried out.

This page last updated:
10/01/01

H, Inc.