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• 11. [Article] Assessing the Impact of Water Filters and Improved Cook Stoves on Drinking Water Quality and Household Air Pollution: A Randomised Controlled Trial in Rwanda

  Diarrhea and respiratory infections remain the biggest killers of children under 5 years in developing countries. We conducted a 5-month household randomised controlled trial among 566 households in rural ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Assessing the Impact of Water Filters and Improved Cook Stoves on Drinking Water Quality and Household Air Pollution: A Randomised Controlled Trial in Rwanda Author: Rosa, Ghislaine, Majorin, Fiona, Boisson, Sophie, Barstow, Christina, Johnson, Michael, Kirby, Miles, Ngabo, Fidele, Thomas, Evan A., Clasen, Thomas Year: 2014 Diarrhea and respiratory infections remain the biggest killers of children under 5 years in developing countries. We conducted a 5-month household randomised controlled trial among 566 households in rural Rwanda to assess uptake, compliance and impact on environmental exposures of a combined intervention delivering high-performance water filters and improved stoves for free. Compliance was measured monthly by self-report and spot-check observations. Semicontinuous 24-h PM2.5 monitoring of the cooking area was conducted in a random subsample of 121 households to assess household air pollution, while samples of drinking water from all households were collected monthly to assess the levels of thermotolerant coliforms. Adoption was generally high, with most householders reporting the filters as their primary source of drinking water and the intervention stoves as their primary cooking stove. However, some householders continued to drink untreated water and most continued to cook on traditional stoves. The intervention was associated with a 97.5% reduction in mean fecal indicator bacteria (Williams means 0.5 vs. 20.2 TTC/100 mL, p,0.001) and a median reduction of 48% of 24-h PM2.5 concentrations in the cooking area (p = 0.005). Further studies to increase compliance should be undertaken to better inform large-scale interventions. Title: Assessing the Impact of Water Filters and Improved Cook Stoves on Drinking Water Quality and Household Air Pollution: A Randomised Controlled Trial in Rwanda Author: Rosa, Ghislaine, Majorin, Fiona, Boisson, Sophie, Barstow, Christina, Johnson, Michael, Kirby, Miles, Ngabo, Fidele, Thomas, Evan A., Clasen, Thomas Year: 2014 Diarrhea and respiratory infections remain the biggest killers of children under 5 years in developing countries. We conducted a 5-month household randomised controlled trial among 566 households in rural Rwanda to assess uptake, compliance and impact on environmental exposures of a combined intervention delivering high-performance water filters and improved stoves for free. Compliance was measured monthly by self-report and spot-check observations. Semicontinuous 24-h PM2.5 monitoring of the cooking area was conducted in a random subsample of 121 households to assess household air pollution, while samples of drinking water from all households were collected monthly to assess the levels of thermotolerant coliforms. Adoption was generally high, with most householders reporting the filters as their primary source of drinking water and the intervention stoves as their primary cooking stove. However, some householders continued to drink untreated water and most continued to cook on traditional stoves. The intervention was associated with a 97.5% reduction in mean fecal indicator bacteria (Williams means 0.5 vs. 20.2 TTC/100 mL, p,0.001) and a median reduction of 48% of 24-h PM2.5 concentrations in the cooking area (p = 0.005). Further studies to increase compliance should be undertaken to better inform large-scale interventions. Close

• 12. [Article] Where the Ends Don't Meet in 2014: Measuring Poverty and Self-Sufficiency among Oregon's Families

  This report sheds light on the economic realities facing many of Oregon’s households and provides an initial picture of the extent of income inadequacy in Oregon. Although addressing this issue is challenging, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Where the Ends Don't Meet in 2014: Measuring Poverty and Self-Sufficiency among Oregon's Families Author: Morehead, Elizabeth, Martin, Sheila A. Year: 2015 This report sheds light on the economic realities facing many of Oregon’s households and provides an initial picture of the extent of income inadequacy in Oregon. Although addressing this issue is challenging, it can be seen as encouraging that many householders with below-Standard incomes are already part of the workforce. It is possible that many householders have adequate levels of education and experience but face other barriers that keep their wages low or raise their expenses. Identifying and addressing such barriers is the next step in bringing household incomes and costs into balance. Title: Where the Ends Don't Meet in 2014: Measuring Poverty and Self-Sufficiency among Oregon's Families Author: Morehead, Elizabeth, Martin, Sheila A. Year: 2015 This report sheds light on the economic realities facing many of Oregon’s households and provides an initial picture of the extent of income inadequacy in Oregon. Although addressing this issue is challenging, it can be seen as encouraging that many householders with below-Standard incomes are already part of the workforce. It is possible that many householders have adequate levels of education and experience but face other barriers that keep their wages low or raise their expenses. Identifying and addressing such barriers is the next step in bringing household incomes and costs into balance. Close

• 13. [Article] Process Evaluation and Assessment of Use of a Large Scale Water Filter and Cookstove Program in Rwanda

  Background: In an effort to reduce the disease burden in rural Rwanda, decrease poverty associated with expenditures for fuel, and minimize the environmental impact on forests and greenhouse gases from ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Process Evaluation and Assessment of Use of a Large Scale Water Filter and Cookstove Program in Rwanda Author: Barstow, Christina K., Nagel, Corey, Clasen, Thomas, Thomas, Evan A. Year: 2016 Background: In an effort to reduce the disease burden in rural Rwanda, decrease poverty associated with expenditures for fuel, and minimize the environmental impact on forests and greenhouse gases from inefficient combustion of biomass, the Rwanda Ministry of Health (MOH) partnered with DelAgua Health (DelAgua), a private social enterprise, to distribute and promote the use of improved cookstoves and advanced water filters to the poorest quarter of households (Ubudehe 1 and 2) nationally, beginning in Western Province under a program branded Tubeho Neza (“Live Well”). The project is privately financed and earns revenue from carbon credits under the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism. Methods: During a 3-month period in late 2014, over 470,000 people living in over 101,000 households were provided free water filters and cookstoves. Following the distribution, community health workers visited nearly 98 % of households to perform household level education and training activities. Over 87 % of households were visited again within 6 months with a basic survey conducted. Detailed adoption surveys were conducted among a sample of households, 1000 in the first round, 187 in the second. Results: Approximately a year after distribution, reported water filter use was above 90 % (+/−4 % CI) and water present in filter was observed in over 76 % (+/−6 % CI) of households, while the reported primary stove was nearly 90 % (+/−4.4 % CI) and of households cooking at the time of the visit, over 83 % (+/−5.3 % CI) were on the improved stove. There was no observed association between household size and stove stacking behavior. Conclusions: This program suggests that free distribution is not a determinant of low adoption. It is plausible that continued engagement in households, enabled by Ministry of Health support and carbon financed revenue, contributed to high adoption rates. Overall, the program was able to demonstrate a privately financed, public health intervention can achieve high levels of initial adoption and usage of household level water filtration and improved cookstoves at a large scale. Title: Process Evaluation and Assessment of Use of a Large Scale Water Filter and Cookstove Program in Rwanda Author: Barstow, Christina K., Nagel, Corey, Clasen, Thomas, Thomas, Evan A. Year: 2016 Background: In an effort to reduce the disease burden in rural Rwanda, decrease poverty associated with expenditures for fuel, and minimize the environmental impact on forests and greenhouse gases from inefficient combustion of biomass, the Rwanda Ministry of Health (MOH) partnered with DelAgua Health (DelAgua), a private social enterprise, to distribute and promote the use of improved cookstoves and advanced water filters to the poorest quarter of households (Ubudehe 1 and 2) nationally, beginning in Western Province under a program branded Tubeho Neza (“Live Well”). The project is privately financed and earns revenue from carbon credits under the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism. Methods: During a 3-month period in late 2014, over 470,000 people living in over 101,000 households were provided free water filters and cookstoves. Following the distribution, community health workers visited nearly 98 % of households to perform household level education and training activities. Over 87 % of households were visited again within 6 months with a basic survey conducted. Detailed adoption surveys were conducted among a sample of households, 1000 in the first round, 187 in the second. Results: Approximately a year after distribution, reported water filter use was above 90 % (+/−4 % CI) and water present in filter was observed in over 76 % (+/−6 % CI) of households, while the reported primary stove was nearly 90 % (+/−4.4 % CI) and of households cooking at the time of the visit, over 83 % (+/−5.3 % CI) were on the improved stove. There was no observed association between household size and stove stacking behavior. Conclusions: This program suggests that free distribution is not a determinant of low adoption. It is plausible that continued engagement in households, enabled by Ministry of Health support and carbon financed revenue, contributed to high adoption rates. Overall, the program was able to demonstrate a privately financed, public health intervention can achieve high levels of initial adoption and usage of household level water filtration and improved cookstoves at a large scale. Close

• 14. [Article] Household Water Demand and Land Use Context: A Multilevel Approach

  Urban water use arises from a mix of scale-dependent biophysical and socioeconomic factors. In Portland, Oregon, single-family residential water use exhibits a tightly coupled relationship with summertime ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Household Water Demand and Land Use Context: A Multilevel Approach Author: Breyer, Elizabeth Yancey Year: 2014 Urban water use arises from a mix of scale-dependent biophysical and socioeconomic factors. In Portland, Oregon, single-family residential water use exhibits a tightly coupled relationship with summertime weather, although this relationship varies with land use patterns across households and neighborhoods. This thesis developed a multilevel regression model to evaluate the relative importance of weather variability, parcel land use characteristics, and neighborhood geographic context in explaining single-family residential water demand patterns in the Portland metropolitan area. The model drew on a high-resolution panel dataset of weekly mean summer water use over five years (2001-2005) for a sample of 460 single-family households spanning an urban-to-suburban gradient. Water use was found to be most elastic with respect to parcel-scale building size. Building age was negatively related to water use at both the parcel and neighborhood scale. Half the variation in water use can be attributed to between-household factors. Between-neighborhood variation exerted a modest but statistically significant effect. The analysis decomposed household temperature sensitivity into four components: a fixed effect common to all households, a household-specific deviation from the fixed effect, a separate extreme heat effect, and a land use effect, where lot size exaggerated the effect of temperature on water use. Results suggested that land use planning may be an effective non-price mechanism for long-range management of peak demand, as land use decisions have water use implications. The combined effects of population growth, urbanization, and climate change expose water providers to risk of water stress. Modeling fine-grain relationships among heat, land use, and water use across scales plays a role in long-range climate change planning and adaptation. Title: Household Water Demand and Land Use Context: A Multilevel Approach Author: Breyer, Elizabeth Yancey Year: 2014 Urban water use arises from a mix of scale-dependent biophysical and socioeconomic factors. In Portland, Oregon, single-family residential water use exhibits a tightly coupled relationship with summertime weather, although this relationship varies with land use patterns across households and neighborhoods. This thesis developed a multilevel regression model to evaluate the relative importance of weather variability, parcel land use characteristics, and neighborhood geographic context in explaining single-family residential water demand patterns in the Portland metropolitan area. The model drew on a high-resolution panel dataset of weekly mean summer water use over five years (2001-2005) for a sample of 460 single-family households spanning an urban-to-suburban gradient. Water use was found to be most elastic with respect to parcel-scale building size. Building age was negatively related to water use at both the parcel and neighborhood scale. Half the variation in water use can be attributed to between-household factors. Between-neighborhood variation exerted a modest but statistically significant effect. The analysis decomposed household temperature sensitivity into four components: a fixed effect common to all households, a household-specific deviation from the fixed effect, a separate extreme heat effect, and a land use effect, where lot size exaggerated the effect of temperature on water use. Results suggested that land use planning may be an effective non-price mechanism for long-range management of peak demand, as land use decisions have water use implications. The combined effects of population growth, urbanization, and climate change expose water providers to risk of water stress. Modeling fine-grain relationships among heat, land use, and water use across scales plays a role in long-range climate change planning and adaptation. Close

• 15. [Article] Encouraging Low-Income Households to Make Location-Efficient Housing Choices

  The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate tools to assist Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program participants in the Portland, OR, metro region with considering transportation needs and options ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Encouraging Low-Income Households to Make Location-Efficient Housing Choices Author: Tremoulet, Andrée, Dann, Ryan, Adkins, Arlie Year: 2016 The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate tools to assist Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program participants in the Portland, OR, metro region with considering transportation needs and options when making decisions about where to live. The project consists of two elements: development of a set of tools in collaboration with the four metro-area housing authorities, and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the tools. The four housing authorities conceptualized and initiated this project, and then selected our team to fully design and complete it. Transportation costs are typically a household’s second-largest expense after housing and, on average, account for about one-fifth of household spending. Low-income households are especially burdened by transportation costs, with low-income households spending up to two times as much of their income on transportation than higher-income households (Litman, 2013). Thus, reducing transportation costs is likely to have a disproportionately positive effect on the budgets of low-income households, both because of the share of their budgets it claims and because they have little to no discretionary resources to absorb higher transportation costs without impacting their ability to purchase other essentials, such as food and health care. Title: Encouraging Low-Income Households to Make Location-Efficient Housing Choices Author: Tremoulet, Andrée, Dann, Ryan, Adkins, Arlie Year: 2016 The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate tools to assist Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program participants in the Portland, OR, metro region with considering transportation needs and options when making decisions about where to live. The project consists of two elements: development of a set of tools in collaboration with the four metro-area housing authorities, and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the tools. The four housing authorities conceptualized and initiated this project, and then selected our team to fully design and complete it. Transportation costs are typically a household’s second-largest expense after housing and, on average, account for about one-fifth of household spending. Low-income households are especially burdened by transportation costs, with low-income households spending up to two times as much of their income on transportation than higher-income households (Litman, 2013). Thus, reducing transportation costs is likely to have a disproportionately positive effect on the budgets of low-income households, both because of the share of their budgets it claims and because they have little to no discretionary resources to absorb higher transportation costs without impacting their ability to purchase other essentials, such as food and health care. Close

• 16. [Article] Regional Water Providers Consortium Population, Housing Unit, and Household Forecasts 2014 to 2045

  Water providers have an ongoing need for estimates and forecasts of the total population and the number of housing units and households within their service areas. While some of the water providers within ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Regional Water Providers Consortium Population, Housing Unit, and Household Forecasts 2014 to 2045 Author: Rynerson, Charles, Rancik, Kevin Christopher Year: 2014 Water providers have an ongoing need for estimates and forecasts of the total population and the number of housing units and households within their service areas. While some of the water providers within Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties have obtained this information periodically on an individual basis, a complete and systematic set of estimates and forecasts for all members of the Regional Water Providers Consortium has not been prepared for nearly 10 years. The Portland Water Bureau (PWB), on behalf of the Regional Water Providers Consortium, requested that the Portland State University Population Research Center (PRC) update service area boundaries and prepare population, housing unit, and household estimates and forecasts for the water service areas of the municipalities and water districts in the Consortium, as well as the wholesale customers of the PWB that are not Consortium members. A report issued in February 2014 described the process of collecting and reviewing boundaries for each provider and preparing estimates for each year from 1990 to 2013. This report includes a brief description of the procedures, methodologies, and data sources used to prepare forecasts of population, household population, housing units, households, persons per household, and vacancy rates for each year from 2014 to 2045. These data items are consistent with Census Bureau definitions, which are included in a Glossary on page 8. Appendix A contains summaries of the forecasts for all service areas for 2035 and 2045, and Appendix B contains annual forecasts in a one page profile for each service area. Title: Regional Water Providers Consortium Population, Housing Unit, and Household Forecasts 2014 to 2045 Author: Rynerson, Charles, Rancik, Kevin Christopher Year: 2014 Water providers have an ongoing need for estimates and forecasts of the total population and the number of housing units and households within their service areas. While some of the water providers within Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties have obtained this information periodically on an individual basis, a complete and systematic set of estimates and forecasts for all members of the Regional Water Providers Consortium has not been prepared for nearly 10 years. The Portland Water Bureau (PWB), on behalf of the Regional Water Providers Consortium, requested that the Portland State University Population Research Center (PRC) update service area boundaries and prepare population, housing unit, and household estimates and forecasts for the water service areas of the municipalities and water districts in the Consortium, as well as the wholesale customers of the PWB that are not Consortium members. A report issued in February 2014 described the process of collecting and reviewing boundaries for each provider and preparing estimates for each year from 1990 to 2013. This report includes a brief description of the procedures, methodologies, and data sources used to prepare forecasts of population, household population, housing units, households, persons per household, and vacancy rates for each year from 2014 to 2045. These data items are consistent with Census Bureau definitions, which are included in a Glossary on page 8. Appendix A contains summaries of the forecasts for all service areas for 2035 and 2045, and Appendix B contains annual forecasts in a one page profile for each service area. Close

• 17. [Article] The Motivations of Exurban Commuters Within a Region

  This case study of the Portland, Oregon, region analyzes and compares the emerging commuting patterns of exurban, small town, and suburban households. The analysis is based on a mail survey of 1408 households ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Motivations of Exurban Commuters Within a Region Author: Davis, Judy Seppanen Year: 1989 This case study of the Portland, Oregon, region analyzes and compares the emerging commuting patterns of exurban, small town, and suburban households. The analysis is based on a mail survey of 1408 households who purchased homes in 1987. By examining the types of households moving to exurbia, their reasons for moving, and the impacts of their moves on journey-to-work a picture is drawn of the forces shaping exurban development and the implications of this type of development for transportation planning and policy. Title: The Motivations of Exurban Commuters Within a Region Author: Davis, Judy Seppanen Year: 1989 This case study of the Portland, Oregon, region analyzes and compares the emerging commuting patterns of exurban, small town, and suburban households. The analysis is based on a mail survey of 1408 households who purchased homes in 1987. By examining the types of households moving to exurbia, their reasons for moving, and the impacts of their moves on journey-to-work a picture is drawn of the forces shaping exurban development and the implications of this type of development for transportation planning and policy. Close

• 18. [Article] Beyond the "Stalled Revolution": Stay-at-Home Fathers, Gender Identity and the Division of Household Labor

  The purpose of this thesis is to explore how stay-at-home fathers view their role as the primary caregiver, and how they encounter opposing masculinity issues. This is explored through discussion about ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Beyond the "Stalled Revolution": Stay-at-Home Fathers, Gender Identity and the Division of Household Labor Author: Snitker, Aundrea Janae Year: 2010 The purpose of this thesis is to explore how stay-at-home fathers view their role as the primary caregiver, and how they encounter opposing masculinity issues. This is explored through discussion about daily life, the decision to stay home, and household labor, a particularly interesting reflection of gender roles and equality. The two research questions used to explore this included: How do stay-at-home fathers understand their masculinity and social role? How does talk about the negotiation of household labor in stay-at-home father/career mother families illustrate masculinity issues? Through an analysis of interviews of eight present or past stay-at-home fathers, I capture the ways that these fathers describe and discuss the stay-at-home parent role. By looking at how these men define and interpret the specific challenges they face while in this role, I help tell the stories of stay-at-home father/career mother families, and understand whether these families, too, experience Hochschild's "stalled revolution." Title: Beyond the "Stalled Revolution": Stay-at-Home Fathers, Gender Identity and the Division of Household Labor Author: Snitker, Aundrea Janae Year: 2010 The purpose of this thesis is to explore how stay-at-home fathers view their role as the primary caregiver, and how they encounter opposing masculinity issues. This is explored through discussion about daily life, the decision to stay home, and household labor, a particularly interesting reflection of gender roles and equality. The two research questions used to explore this included: How do stay-at-home fathers understand their masculinity and social role? How does talk about the negotiation of household labor in stay-at-home father/career mother families illustrate masculinity issues? Through an analysis of interviews of eight present or past stay-at-home fathers, I capture the ways that these fathers describe and discuss the stay-at-home parent role. By looking at how these men define and interpret the specific challenges they face while in this role, I help tell the stories of stay-at-home father/career mother families, and understand whether these families, too, experience Hochschild's "stalled revolution." Close

• 19. [Article] Division of Labor within the Household: The Experience of Bosnian Immigrant Women in Portland, Oregon

  This research study examines the impact of international migration of household labor for Bosnian immigrant women living in Portland, Oregon. Bosnia is a society with enduring patriarchal traditions which ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Division of Labor within the Household: The Experience of Bosnian Immigrant Women in Portland, Oregon Author: Paljevic, Miro Year: 2013 This research study examines the impact of international migration of household labor for Bosnian immigrant women living in Portland, Oregon. Bosnia is a society with enduring patriarchal traditions which assume that women are in charge of doing household chores. Men are in charge of providing for the family monetarily. Many Bosnian families migrated to the U.S. in the mid 1990's in order to escape the war in Bosnia. In this study I interview 10 of these Bosnian women, concerning the division of labor in their homes in Bosnia and their homes in U.S. After migrating to the U.S. the amount of work women did within the home lessened as their husbands became more involved in helping with various chores. The changes in the division of household labor did not subvert traditional gender roles. Wives transferred and adapted their views of gender performativity after they migrated to the United States. The results are consistent with research that states that migrant women focus more on advancement of their family rather on their own emancipation. Title: Division of Labor within the Household: The Experience of Bosnian Immigrant Women in Portland, Oregon Author: Paljevic, Miro Year: 2013 This research study examines the impact of international migration of household labor for Bosnian immigrant women living in Portland, Oregon. Bosnia is a society with enduring patriarchal traditions which assume that women are in charge of doing household chores. Men are in charge of providing for the family monetarily. Many Bosnian families migrated to the U.S. in the mid 1990's in order to escape the war in Bosnia. In this study I interview 10 of these Bosnian women, concerning the division of labor in their homes in Bosnia and their homes in U.S. After migrating to the U.S. the amount of work women did within the home lessened as their husbands became more involved in helping with various chores. The changes in the division of household labor did not subvert traditional gender roles. Wives transferred and adapted their views of gender performativity after they migrated to the United States. The results are consistent with research that states that migrant women focus more on advancement of their family rather on their own emancipation. Close

• 20. [Article] How Affordable is HUD Affordable Housing?

  This paper assesses the affordability of HUD rental assistance properties from the standpoint of transportation costs. HUD housing is, by definition, affordable from the standpoint of housing costs due ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: How Affordable is HUD Affordable Housing? Author: Ewing, Reid, Hamidi, Shima Year: 2015 This paper assesses the affordability of HUD rental assistance properties from the standpoint of transportation costs. HUD housing is, by definition, affordable from the standpoint of housing costs due to limits on the amounts renters are required to pay. However, there are no such limitations on transportation costs, and common sense suggests that renters in remote locations may be forced to pay more than 15 percent of income, a nominal affordability standard, for transportation costs. Using household travel models estimated with data from 15 diverse regions around the U.S., we estimated and summed automobile capital costs, automobile operating costs, and transit fare costs for households at more than 18,000 HUD rental assistance properties. The mean percentage of income expended on transportation is 15 percent for households at the high end of the eligible income scale. However, in highly sprawling metropolitan areas, and in suburban areas of more compact metropolitan areas, much higher percentages of households exceed the 15 percent threshold. This suggests that locational characteristics of properties should be considered by HUD when establishing eligibility for rental assistance subsidies. Title: How Affordable is HUD Affordable Housing? Author: Ewing, Reid, Hamidi, Shima Year: 2015 This paper assesses the affordability of HUD rental assistance properties from the standpoint of transportation costs. HUD housing is, by definition, affordable from the standpoint of housing costs due to limits on the amounts renters are required to pay. However, there are no such limitations on transportation costs, and common sense suggests that renters in remote locations may be forced to pay more than 15 percent of income, a nominal affordability standard, for transportation costs. Using household travel models estimated with data from 15 diverse regions around the U.S., we estimated and summed automobile capital costs, automobile operating costs, and transit fare costs for households at more than 18,000 HUD rental assistance properties. The mean percentage of income expended on transportation is 15 percent for households at the high end of the eligible income scale. However, in highly sprawling metropolitan areas, and in suburban areas of more compact metropolitan areas, much higher percentages of households exceed the 15 percent threshold. This suggests that locational characteristics of properties should be considered by HUD when establishing eligibility for rental assistance subsidies. Close