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NIH Launches a New Scientific Data Sharing Website

NIH Launches a New Scientific Data Sharing Website

by | Apr 13, 2022 | Econometrica Blog

In its commitment to making the research it funds available to the public, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched a new website: NIH Scientific Data Sharing.

On this site, users can find the following information conveyed through step-by-step guides, infographics, and customizable search tools:

    • Scientific data from NIH-affiliated repositories.
    • Which sharing policies apply to specific types of research.
    • How to comply with sharing policies.

This site serves as a central portal to easily search for and access information on NIH-affiliated sharing policies and data repositories. NIH is committed to maximizing the appropriate sharing of scientific data.

There is an easy-to-use decision-making tool to help researchers understand which policies apply to their specific research as well as a tool to help users identify NIH-supported Scientific Data Repositories relevant to their work.

The site is open, and you can now view a 3-minute walk-through of some of the major features. NIH welcomes feedback on the site and will continue to update it with additional resources and training materials, particularly in preparation for the new NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy going into effect for applications due on or after January 25, 2023.

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Econometrica specializes in research and management across numerous industries in both the public and private sectors. We are always looking to hire the best and brightest in data science, health, grants management, energy, homeland security, housing and community development, capital markets and finance, and transportation. We work as the lead service provider, and also as a capable outsource partner to other consultancies. To work with us on your next project, visit us online and email a member of our executive staff in your preferred specialty. To explore the benefits of working for us, visit our careers page.

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New HUD Reports Explore Recent AHS Data

New HUD Reports Explore Recent AHS Data

by | Mar 25, 2022 | Press Release

HUD Renters CoverPagesBETHESDA, MD – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released two new reports about the examining data provided by the American Housing Survey (AHS). The reports, prepared by Econometrica and SP Group, take a deep dive into several aspects of the AHS in recent years.

The AHS, sponsored by HUD and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, provides information on both the current state of housing inventory and the characteristics of its occupants. Econometrica has provided analytic support on the AHS under several contracts with HUD for nearly two decades.

The first report, The Usefulness of the GUTREHB Variable, evaluates the variable GUTREHB, which was added to the AHS in 2015, and identifies its utility and reliability. This variable sought to identify owner-occupied units that had undergone gut rehabilitation within the previous 10 years.

The authors identified three categories into which problems with the variable fall:

  1. Serious inconsistencies in responses undermine user confidence in the response to GUTREHB for a given unit in any specific survey.

  2. The analysis shows that units with positive responses to GUTREHB have higher renovation costs than those with negative responses to GUTREHB, but the observed costs still appear less than expected.

  3. The AHS collects data on several other variables associated with renovation, but the report found that the relationship between GUTREHB and these other variables is weaker than anticipated.

The second report, Characteristics of HUD-Assisted Renters and Their Units in 2019, uses data from a supplemental survey included in the 2019 AHS and administrative data matching to describe key features of both the rental housing assistance that HUD provided and the households that HUD served. The report analyzes how HUD-assisted rental stock has changed over previous three decades and examines the location of HUD-assisted housing, the quality of the units, and tenant satisfaction.

The report showed that HUD-assisted stock is in fairly good condition, with only 2.4 percent of units severely inadequate in 2017, about the same as unassisted units occupied by very low-income renters.

About Econometrica

Econometrica is a research and management organization committed to providing high-quality, cost-effective economic and analytical services for clients in the private and public sectors. Located in Bethesda, Maryland, Econometrica in particular specializes in housing, community development, and economic analysis.

 

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CMS OMH Raises Awareness for National Kidney Month

CMS OMH Raises Awareness for National Kidney Month

by | Mar 17, 2022 | Econometrica Blog

National Kidney Month

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) recognizes National Kidney Month in March by raising awareness about kidney health.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) disproportionately affects some minority populations, including Black Americans (33 percent), American Indian/Alaska Natives (30 percent), and Hispanic Americans (28 percent).

The most common risk factors for CKD are diseases that also more heavily impact these minority populations: diabetes, which causes kidney damage due to excess sugar, and high blood pressure, which causes damage to blood vessels in the kidneys over time.

Kidneys are vital organs that filter waste out of the body. They regulate chemicals and fluid levels in the body, control blood pressure, keep bones healthy, and produce a hormone that triggers red blood cell production.

It is crucial to keep kidneys healthy. Research estimates that more than 1 in 7 adults have CKD and 9 in 10 adults who have CKD do not know that they have it. CKD is a slow-progressing disease and those affected may not have any early symptoms, so screening should be a regular occurrence, especially in those over age 65 and in minority populations.

If left untreated, CKD can eventually cause kidney failure and require a transplant.

On July 10, 2019, President Trump signed an Executive Order dedicated to advancing kidney health. For additional information about this policy, please see Econometrica’s Kidney Health Executive Order Policy Review.

For additional resources from CMS OMH related to kidney health, please visit https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/OMH/equity-initiatives/health-observances.

Work With Us, Work for Us

Econometrica specializes in research and management across numerous industries in both the public and private sectors. We are always looking to hire the best and brightest in data science, health, grants management, energy, homeland security, housing and community development, capital markets and finance, and transportation. We work as the lead service provider, and also as a capable outsource partner to other consultancies. To work with us on your next project, visit us online and email a member of our executive staff in your preferred specialty. To explore the benefits of working for us, visit our careers page.

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HUD Releases Updated FMRs; Econometrica Conducted Surveys for Multiple PHAs

HUD Releases Updated FMRs; Econometrica Conducted Surveys for Multiple PHAs

by | Mar 10, 2022 | Press Release

BETHESDA, MD – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released updated Fair Market Rents (FMRS) for fiscal year 2022 for 12 areas based on new survey data.

The updates, released in the Federal Register on March 10, 2022, come after public housing authorities (PHAs) conducted new surveys. According to HUD, the new FMRs reflect the estimated 40th percentile rent levels.

The Econometrica Team, consisting of Econometrica and M. Davis & Company, conducted surveys and data analysis for 6 of the 12 PHAs with updated FMRs. The team utilized its years of housing and community development experience to provide collection and analysis of data to appeal HUD’s previously proposed FMRs.

FMR values can be found on the HUD USER website.

Screen Shot 2022 03 10 at 2.28.25 PM

Source: Fair Market Rents for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy Program, and Other Programs Fiscal Year 2022; Revised, 87 Fed. Reg. 13744 (March 10, 2022).

About Econometrica

Econometrica is a research and management organization committed to providing high-quality, cost-effective economic and analytical services for clients in the private and public sectors. Located in Bethesda, Maryland, Econometrica in particular specializes in housing, community development, and economic analysis. It has performed FMR survey and related work for more than 15 years and has worked with PHAs for approximately 20 years.

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Nevada SNAP-Ed Project Helps Teach Families About Reducing Kids’ Sugar Intake

Nevada SNAP-Ed Project Helps Teach Families About Reducing Kids’ Sugar Intake

by | Mar 2, 2022 | Econometrica Blog

Kids Drinking Soda

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, consuming too much sugar can increase the risk for health issues such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. For many children, a single can of soda contains more than their daily recommended amount of sugar, yet nearly two-thirds of kids in the United States drink soda or another sugary drink each day.

In response to this issue, the University of Nevada, Reno, started the Rethink Your Drink Nevada project to “promote healthy beverage choices and reduce the intake of sugary drinks.” Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) grant program, Rethink Your Drink has created a range of resources, from brochures to healthy recipes, to teach families about the risks associated with consuming too much sugar and empower them to make healthier choices.

In addition, Rethink Your Drink also provides dental and medical offices with a free toolkit of resources they can use to help educate patients and their families about this issue. The toolkit, which contains posters, handouts, and stickers in both English and Spanish, was distributed to more than 600 healthcare professionals in more than 200 offices in 2020 alone, and offices have continued to receive new materials regularly.

This outreach program has already begun to show success: According to USDA, “survey results show that use of the toolkit leads to more patient education on sugary drinks,” with 65 percent of SNAP households reporting that a medical or dental professional had talked with them or their child about sugary drinks.

To learn more about Rethink Your Drink Nevada, visit the program’s website at https://rethinkyourdrinknevada.com/.

To read about other successful SNAP-Ed projects, visit USDA’s website at https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/success-stories.

Work With Us, Work for Us

Econometrica specializes in research and management across numerous industries in both the public and private sectors. We are always looking to hire the best and brightest in data science, health, grants management, energy, homeland security, housing and community development, capital markets and finance, and transportation. We work as the lead service provider, and also as a capable outsource partner to other consultancies. To work with us on your next project, visit us online and email a member of our executive staff in your preferred specialty. To explore the benefits of working for us, visit our careers page.

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