Serving Society

Societal Benefits from Research

NIH-supported research findings result in changes that benefit society and the economy.

Neighborhoods and Health

NIH-supported research shows that children who move from a high-poverty neighborhood to a low poverty neighborhood are more likely to attend college and earn over 30% more as young adults. This has prompted changes in policies at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and other U.S. agencies.

Image credit: Jonathan Bailey, NHGRI

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  • Individuals living in low-poverty neighborhoods have improved health and employment compared to individuals living in high-poverty neighborhoods.
  • Moving from a high-poverty neighborhood to a low-poverty neighborhood resulted in improved well-being, mental health, and physical health, such as increased rates of employment, decreased substance use and exposure to neighborhood violence, and reduced prevalence of extreme obesity and diabetes. 
  • This evidence led policymakers to begin reducing systemic barriers for families to live in areas with more opportunities and lower levels of poverty.
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Importance of Sleep

NIH-funded research shows the importance of sleep in boosting productivity at work and school. For example, a later school start time increases sleep duration and can lead to a 4.5% increase in grades. Because of this research, some states already enacted laws mandating later school start times.

Image credit: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH

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  • NIH-funded research shows that workplaces with health promotion programs have increased employee sleep duration and subsequent increased daytime performance. 
  • Similarly, in school settings, later school start times can increase students’ median sleep time by 34 minutes and improve school attendance, resulting in a 4.5% rise in median grades. 
  • A 60-minute delay in school start times also reduces car crash rates by 16.5%, as young drivers have a higher crash risk when sleep deprived.
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Air Pollution and Health

NIH-funded research found strong associations between exposure to air pollution and mortality. This research contributed to new Clean Air Act regulations in 1990, which resulted in air quality improvements that reached an economic value of $2 trillion by 2020 and prevented 230,000 early deaths in 2020 alone.

Image credit: Elisabeth De la Rosa, University of Texas Health Science Center, NCATS

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  • The net improvement in economic welfare due to new Clean Air Act regulations is projected to occur because cleaner air leads to better health and productivity for American workers, as well as savings on medical expenses for air pollution-related health problems. 
  • The beneficial economic effects of better health and savings on medical costs alone are projected to more than offset the expenditures for pollution control.
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Dietary Guidelines

Thanks to NIH-supported research, our understanding of how dietary intake contributes to health outcomes has expanded, and a more accurate way to measure metabolism in humans is now available. This has informed dietary guidelines for all Americans, including guidance on school lunches and labels for food and menus.

Image credit: Nancy Krebs University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO

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  • NIH-supported research has improved our understanding of the relationships between dietary intake, human development, and risk of chronic diet-related health conditions in the U.S. 
  • The development of doubly labeled water (DLW)—a safe, non-invasive way to measure energy expenditure in humans—was funded by NIH and has revolutionized the measurement of metabolism in humans. 
  • DLW is essential for the establishment of dietary reference intakes, which are the basis for updating dietary guidelines for all Americans.
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Taxes for Public Health

Several U.S. cities have imposed a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, based on research funded by NIH. In Berkeley, CA, this tax resulted in more than $9 million of revenue from 2015-2019, for public health campaigns and promotion for the city.

Image credit: Dr. Ehsan Shokri Kojori, NIAAA

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  • Implemented in 2015, the Berkeley tax on sugar-sweetened beverages impacted consumer spending, leading to a 10% drop in purchases of unhealthy beverages within a year.
  • It also supported a public health intervention that led to improved health outcomes.
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Housing and COVID-19

NIH-funded research supported federal policies that prevented evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the spread of COVID-19 and preventing excess deaths.

Image credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH

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  • Lifting eviction moratoria in the spring and summer of 2020 was associated with 433,700 excess COVID-19 cases and 10,700 excess deaths. These findings were cited in decisions by other U.S. federal agencies to extend eviction moratoria.
  • CDC cited NIH research when extending the federal eviction moratorium in January 2021, and in subsequent extensions, which may have had positive downstream impacts on productivity, employment, housing, and health costs.
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Nurse Workload

NIH research demonstrated that when hospital nurses’ workloads are increased, there are higher rates of death for patients in that hospital. This research has informed proposed or passed legislation in almost 25 states that addresses nurse staffing levels, reduces workloads, and saves lives.

Image credit: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, NIH

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  • NIH-supported research found that each patient added to a nurse’s workload was associated with a 7% increase in patient mortality.
  • This research has guided state-mandated nurse-to-patient ratios in California hospitals. After these guidelines went into effect, NIH researchers found that when compared to states without mandated nurse staffing levels, California nurse workloads were lower, which was associated with fewer patient deaths.
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Nursing Education

NIH-supported research showed that a more educated nurse workforce is associated with improvements in patient outcomes in hospitals. This informed recommendations from the National Academy of Medicine on nurse education, leading to an almost 10% increase in nurses with a bachelor’s degree or higher from 2011-2019.

Image credit: John Powell

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  • NIH-supported research showed that for every 10% increase in nurses with bachelor’s degrees, there is a related 5-7% decrease in the likelihood of death for patients in hospitals.
  • This research contributed to the 2011 National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) recommendation that 80% of nurses hold a bachelor’s degree by 2020.
  • Since these recommendations, the proportion of nurses in the U.S. with a bachelor’s degree or higher increased from 50% in 2011 to 59% in 2019.
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References

Neighborhoods and Health

  1. Ludwig J, et al. N Engl J Med. 2011 Oct 20;365(16):1509-19. PMID: 22010917. 
  2. Ludwig J, et al. Science. 2012 Sep 21;337(6101):1505-10. PMID: 22997331. 
  3. Fauth R, et al. Soc Sci Med. 2004 Dec;59(11):2271-84. PMID: 15450703. 
  4. Chetty R, et al. Am Econ Rev. 2016;106(4):855-902. PMID: 29546974.
  5. Thornton RLJ, et al. Health Aff (Millwood). 2016;35(8):1416-23. PMID: 27503966. 
  6. Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration -- HUD invites comments to OMB on Phase 1 Evaluation (by 11/22): https://www.aeaweb.org/forum/2181/housing-voucher-mobility-demonstration-comments-evaluation
  7. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: https://www.cbpp.org/research/housing/what-are-housing-mobility-programs-and-why-are-they-needed

Importance of Sleep

  1. Robbins R, et al. Am J Health Promot. 2019;33(7):1009-1019. PMID: 30957509. 
  2. Watson NF, et al. J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(4):623-625. PMID: 28416043.

Air Pollution and Health

  1. Dockery DW, et al. N Engl J Med. 1993;329(24):1753-9. PMID: 8179653.
  2. Benefits and Costs of the Clean Air Act 1990-2020, the Second Prospective Study: https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/benefits-and-costs-clean-air-act-1990-2020-second-prospective-study

Dietary Guidelines

  1. Schoeller DA, et al. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol. 1982;53(4):955-9. PMID: 6759491.
  2. Pontzer H, et al. Science. 2021;373(6556):808-812. PMID: 34385400.
  3. Rhoads TW, et al. Science. 2021;373(6556):738-739. PMID: 34385381.
  4. Doubly Labelled Water Method: https://doubly-labelled-water-database.iaea.org/about
  5. Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/2020-advisory-committee-report

Taxes for Public Health

  1. Falbe J, et al. Am J Public Health. 2020;110(9):1429-1437. PMID: 32673112.
  2. Kansagra SM, et al. Am J Public Health. 2015;105(4):e61-4. PMID: 25713971.
  3. State and Local Backgrounders on Soda Taxes: https://www.urban.org/policy-centers/cross-center-initiatives/state-and-local-finance-initiative/state-and-local-backgrounders/soda-taxes

Housing and COVID-19

  1. Leifheit KM, et al. Am J Epidemiol. 2021;190(12):2503-2510. PMID: 34309643. 
  2. Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19. February 2021https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/03/2021-02243/temporary-halt-in-residential-evictions-to-prevent-the-further-spread-of-covid-19
  3. Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19. March 2021. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/03/31/2021-06718/temporary-halt-in-residential-evictions-to-prevent-the-further-spread-of-covid-19
  4. Supreme Court of the Unites States. No. 21A23. 2021. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/21a23_ap6c.pdf
  5. Article: The Coming Wave of Evictions Is More Than a Housing Crisis. https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/09/cdc-eviction-ban-housing-crisis/619960/

Nurse Workload

  1. Article: Nurse staffing and education linked to reduced patient mortality: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nurse-staffing-education-linked-reduced-patient-mortality   
  2. Article: Linda Aiken, Whose Research Revealed the Importance of Nursing in Patient Outcomes, Receives Institute of Medicine’s 2014 Lienhard Award: https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2014/10/linda-aiken-whose-research-revealed-the-importance-of-nursing-in-patient-outcomes-receives-institute-of-medicines-2014-lienhard-award   
  3. Article: Nurses, and patients, have this woman to thank: https://www.uff.ufl.edu/gators/nurses-patients-woman-thank/  
  4. Aiken LH, et al. JAMA. 2002;288(16):1987-93. PMID: 12387650.  
  5. Aiken LH, et al. Lancet. 2014;383(9931):1824-30. PMID: 24581683.  
  6. Aiken LH, et al. Health Serv Res. 2010;45(4):904-21. PMID: 20403061.
  7. Learning From the California Experience: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/learning-california-experience

Nursing Education

  1. Article: Nurse staffing and education linked to reduced patient mortality: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nurse-staffing-education-linked-reduced-patient-mortality   
  2. Article: Linda Aiken, Whose Research Revealed the Importance of Nursing in Patient Outcomes, Receives Institute of Medicine’s 2014 Lienhard Award: https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2014/10/linda-aiken-whose-research-revealed-the-importance-of-nursing-in-patient-outcomes-receives-institute-of-medicines-2014-lienhard-award   
  3. Article: Nurses, and patients, have this woman to thank: https://www.uff.ufl.edu/gators/nurses-patients-woman-thank/  
  4. Aiken LH, et al. Lancet. 2014;383(9931):1824-30. PMID: 24581683.  
  5. Aiken LH, et al. JAMA. 2003;290(12):1617-23. PMID: 14506121.
  6. Friese CR, et al. Health Serv Res. 2008;43(4):1145-63. PMID: 18248404. 
  7. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing, at the Institute of Medicine. The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. 2011. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209880/
  8. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. 2021. (page 200) https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25982/the-future-of-nursing-2020-2030-charting-a-path-to

This page last reviewed on March 1, 2023