Can cleaning up streets and filling tax forms boost health? philly study aims to find out
NCT ID NCT05541653
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Sep 11, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tests if a package of community improvements—like cleaning vacant lots, fixing abandoned houses, planting trees, and offering financial help—can improve the health of Black residents in Philadelphia. About 571 adults in 60 neighborhoods will be tracked for changes in overall health and mental well-being. The goal is to see if addressing long-standing neglect and financial stress can reduce the huge health gaps between Black and white communities.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- neighborhood improvements (vacant lot greening, house repairs, trash cleanup, tree planting) and financial services (tax prep, benefits access, counseling, microgrants)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could show that fixing neglected neighborhoods and providing financial support measurably improves health and well-being for Black residents.
- What could go wrong
- This is a single-city study with 571 participants, so results may not apply elsewhere. It tests many changes at once, making it hard to know which part helped.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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571 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2022
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * At least 18 years of age * Have the ability to communicate via text messaging * Individuals comfortable communicating in English * A permanent resident of the home where they are to be enrolled * Have knowledge of their household finances Exclusion Criteria: * Individuals who plan to move out of the study microcluster within 6 months * Individuals who are unable to fully consent and participate based on recruitment team assessment
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Philadelphia Neighborhoods
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 00000, United States
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