Health and Urban Systems

Finding opportunities to support healthy cities must come from an u nderstanding of the underlying systems, which are critical to their functioning. Columbia Urban Health is interested in characterizing the unique public health challenges and posing solutions to these unique urban landscapes.

Advancing healthy aging in urban environments

Age Friendly NYC, a partnership between Mayor DeBlasio’s administration, the New York City Council and the New York Academy of Medicine, aims to facilitate healthy aging among older New Yorkers, with a focus on the areas of: Age-friendly Businesses, Age-friendly Schools, Colleges and Universities and Aging Improvement Districts. Members of the Commission include Dr. Linda Fried, dean of the Mailman School of Public Health and director of the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center and Aging Center faculty member John W. Rowe, MD. More information
 
Faculty/Program: Dr. Linda Fried, John W. Rowe
 
Cities: New York
 


INJURY FREE COALITION FOR KIDS

Through education, improving the physical and social environment for children, and developing a coalition from the medical community, governmental agencies and the community parents and organizations, this coalition works to reduce injury to children and promote safe communities. More information

Faculty/Program: Barbara Barlow

Cities: See site list
 


TRANSLATING A FALLS PROGRAM TO INNER-CITY SENIORS USING A TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM

Falls and related injuries are a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, economic impacts, and institutionalization among older adults. This project will translate an evidence-based cognitive behavioral falls prevention program to seniors who use a transportation program that provides free door-through-door travel with support from trained mobility facilitators.  

Faculty/Program: Columbia Center for Injury Science and Prevention (CCISP)

Cities: New York
 


ENGAGING COMMUNITY ON MOBILE ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS, AIR POLLUTION POLICY IMPACTS, AND DISSEMINATION OF CENTER FINDINGS

A CCCEH project,  this initiative seeks to assess the impact of policy change in New York City on air quality and health outcomes citywide and in the cohort. More information

Faculty/Program: Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health

Cities: New York
 


ENDOTOXIN, OBESITY, AND ASTHMA IN NEW YORK CITY HEAD START

This study follows children in Head Start programs for at least 2 years to identify factors associated with asthma prevalence, persistence, incidence, and severity.

Faculty/Program: Judith Jacobson

Cities: New York
 


First Steps: Evaluation of New York State Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies

The evaluation assessed the uptake and response among WIC staff and participants to the innovative WIC program elements for preventing obesity and identified positive interactions between WIC participation and participation in other state programs and community healthy living resources for children. More information

Faculty/Program: Mary Ann Chiasson

Cities: New York
 


AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE IMPACT OF SOCIOECONOMIC CONTEXT ON BIOLOGICAL MARKERS OF AGING, HEALTH, AND MORTALITY

This multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) examines the health and survival outcomes associated with an extension of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for lower-income Americans without dependent children.  More information

Faculty/Program: Peter Muennig

Cities: Atlanta, New York
 


CBO CAPACITY BUILDING FOR RESEARCH AND EVALUATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE

This is a research translation and capacity building project to assist community-based organizations that offer services to help improve social factors that affect health.  

Faculty/Program: Angela Aidala

Cities: New York
 


Evaluation of HomeBase Program to Prevent Family Homelessness

This study is an evaluation of NYC Department of Homelessness Services' innovative community-based homelessness prevention program, HomeBase. This quasi-experiment used administrative datasets to demonstrate that the program was effective in averting family entries into the New York City Shelter System. More information

Faculty/Program: Peter Messeri

Cities: New York
 


IMPACT OF TAXES ON SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGES

The report discusses sugar-sweetened beverages, their health effects, and the impact of taxes on changing behavior. More information

Professors: Y. Claire Wang

Cities: New York
 

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Email us at urbanhealth@columbia.edu or follow us on Twitter @CU_UrbanHealth

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