Housing instability and neighborhood factors affecting maternal health in Black pregnant women
Official title: The effect of HOusing instability and neighborhood deprivation on Maternal hEalth-HOME
Funded at Medical College of Wisconsin · NIH-11399903 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program looks at how unstable housing and neighborhood conditions influence the health of pregnant Black women and their babies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical College of Wisconsin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,160,524 |
| NIH project number | 5U54HD113408-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11399903 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals, particularly Black women in Milwaukee or similar urban settings who are experiencing housing instability or low income.
✕Less likely to help
Pregnant individuals with stable housing and strong support networks may experience fewer direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
The project focuses on understanding how living situations and neighborhood environments affect maternal physical and mental health during pregnancy, especially among low-income Black families in Milwaukee. It plans to analyze personal and community factors to identify which housing stability aspects and services support better pregnancy outcomes. The research will combine data on housing, neighborhood resources, and maternal health to reveal how these social determinants impact mothers and infants. The study aims to inform programs that reduce disparities in maternal health outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to programs that improve housing stability and neighborhood supports for pregnant women, potentially reducing complications and disparities.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked housing instability to adverse maternal outcomes, suggesting this approach could yield meaningful insights and potential interventions.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dickson-Gomez, Julia B — Medical College of Wisconsin
- Study coordinator: Dickson-Gomez, Julia B
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Non-invasive, continuous blood pressure monitoring for prenatal maternal health
A wearable device from PyrAmes uses comfortable, non-invasive sensors and smart software to constantly monitor a pregnant person’s blood pressure and heart health so doctors can protect both mom and baby.
-
Identifying how ableism affects pregnancy and postpartum care for women with intellectual and developmental disabilities on Medicaid
This grant studies how bias and barriers in the healthcare system affect pregnancy and postpartum outcomes for women with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are on Medicaid and their babies.
-
UIC Maternal Health Center of Excellence brings together teams to improve maternal health in communities
A center-based program at UIC will work with communities and researchers to reduce maternal death and serious health problems by improving systems of care.
-
SAFE Futures: Supporting AIAN Maternal Health with remote monitoring and community help
A pilot program tests a culturally tailored, tech-supported prenatal care approach for American Indian and Alaska Native women to improve engagement and communication with providers.
-
Tailored postpartum care strategies to improve maternal health
A real-world study tests a customized set of postpartum care practices led by community partners to improve new mothers' health and safety.
-
Ama Bidziil: Strengthening AI mothers’ health with community doulas
A Johns Hopkins-led project will explore how AI community doulas affect maternal health for American Indian women in rural Navajo communities.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.