Collaborating with Public Housing Residents and Staff to Improve Health: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

This study described the health behaviors and barriers and facilitators of those behaviors in elderly and/or disabled residents of public housing. A mixed-methods design was used. Residents (N=88) completed a survey with validated measures of health behaviors. A sub-sample (N=16) participated in three focus groups. Residents scored worse than population norms on the majority of behaviors measured. Qualitative results framed in an ecological model indicated the majority of facilitators and barriers to health behaviors were perceived as occurring at the intrapersonal and interpersonal levels. Interventions to promote health should consider the unique barriers and facilitators to health behaviors among residents.