Over the last year, Whitney Anderson, MPH, a recent graduate of St. Louis University and formerly one of Generate Health’s practicum students, completed a study that examined the impacts of housing on health equity. Through interviews with community stakeholders, research into historic housing policies, and an analysis of current practices in St. Louis, Whitney put together a comprehensive report that identifies the problem and outlines steps towards achieving a more equitable future for Black pregnant and parenting families.
Key Takeaways:
- Housing serves an important role in the health of Black pregnant and parenting families. This relationship has been shaped by historical policies like redlining and restrictive deed covenants that have upheld systemic racism.
- Interviews with housing stakeholders across the region provided a better understanding of how housing and neighborhood stability are contributing to the infant mortality crisis. Everyone, from individuals to organizations and public policy makers can play a role in improving the housing sector in St. Louis.
- FLOURISH’s housing-related efforts – from providing diaper drives, mom support groups, and tenant right educational sessions at the Clinton Peabody housing complex to advocacy efforts in support of utility shut-off and eviction moratoriums – are creating positive outcomes for families in our region.
To learn more about Whitney’s work, you can read the full report or listen to her recent interview on the Public Health Perspectives Podcast.