A Needs Assessment of the Homeless of Birmingham and Jefferson County

The information contained in this report, and summarized here, derives from two data collection activities. One, a point-in-time count of homeless persons in a 24-hour period on January 26-27, 2005 that included a two-page survey of basic demographic information and a needs assessment. Two, an hour-long survey of 161 homeless adults conducted between April 4 and May 25, 2005 providing information on residential and housing histories, duration and causes of homelessness, stressful life events and circumstances, resources, social supports and social capital, mental and physical health, and access to health services

Social assets and mental distress among the homeless: Exploring the roles of social support and other forms of social capital on depression

This paper explores the role of social capital in mediating the effects of stressors on depression among a disadvantaged population. Utilizing a survey of 155 homeless people in a mid-sized southern U.S. city, the authors address the relevance of social capital for quality of life. The paper provides a critical test of whether social support and other forms of social capital matter when monetary and human capital is extremely limited. Under these resource-restricted circumstances does social capital add to our understanding of the distress process or does it merely restate the well established relationship between social support and quality of life outcomes? Various forms of social capital are measured: religious social capital, group participation, social trust, and bridging social capital along with a commonly used measure of social support -- perceived strong tie support. Findings suggest that social capital matters for even the most resource poor populations. In addition, social capital variables add significantly to the variance explained in depressive symptomatology over and above that traditionally explained by perceived social support.USA Homelessness Social capital Distress Social support Depression

2007 THE DECISION TO MOVE: AN ANALYSIS OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE GHETTO

The decision to move among African Americans in a poor community encompasses individual, household, and neighborhood characteristics. Previous research focuses on the frequently studied middle class. Meanwhile substantive analyses on African Americans from poor communities remain largely understudied. The current study uses data from a low income African American community to study residential mobility decisions. A systematic, random sample of respondents completed a survey concerning their residential situation. Data were triangulated to add reliability and richness to the findings. The results show that the decision to move is not a function of residential satisfaction, but is influenced by neighborhood and sociodemographic factors. It is suggested that future research focuses on policy intended to increase homeownership and informal social control. Future research should also concentrate on the health consequences associated with movement behavior. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Pag

Mitochondrial copper depletion suppresses triple-negative breast cancer in mice

Depletion of mitochondrial copper, which shifts metabolism from respiration to glycolysis and reduces energy production, is known to be effective against cancer types that depend on oxidative phosphorylation. However, existing copper chelators are too toxic or ineffective for cancer treatment. Here we develop a safe, mitochondria-targeted, copper-depleting nanoparticle (CDN) and test it against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We show that CDNs decrease oxygen consumption and oxidative phosphorylation, cause a metabolic switch to glycolysis and reduce ATP production in TNBC cells. This energy deficiency, together with compromised mitochondrial membrane potential and elevated oxidative stress, results in apoptosis. CDNs should be less toxic than existing copper chelators because they favorably deprive copper in the mitochondria in cancer cells instead of systemic depletion. Indeed, we demonstrate low toxicity of CDNs in healthy mice. In three mouse models of TNBC, CDN administration inhibits tumor growth and substantially improves survival. The efficacy and safety of CDNs suggest the potential clinical relevance of this approach.Triple-negative breast cancer is inhibited by depleting mitochondrial copper in mice