The Washington Heights and Inwood Community extends form 155 Street to the Northern tip of the Manhattan Island (from North to South) and is surrounded in the East by the Harlem River and in the West by the Hudson River. The total population of this community as of the 1990 census enumeration was 198,192. Racial/ethnic data show the following distribution: Latino 67%, African-American 11.4%, White non-Latino 18.7%. From 1980 to 1990, a third of all immigrants to Manhattan settled in Washington Heights and Inwood. The neighborhood is now one of the largest points of initial settlement in the eastern U.S.; 78% of all new immigrants to Washington Heights and Inwood in the Last 10 years were Dominicans (the fastest growing ethnic group in New York City). Yet 77% of Latino heads of household immigrated before 1982, suggesting that most new arrivals that enter a household are already partially acculturated. Per capital income in Washington Heights and Inwood is $13,022. White per capita income is $21,333, lower for African-American ($14,558) and much lower for Latinos ($11,174). By most measures, economic disadvantage is much higher in Washington Heights than in New York City as a whole. From 1980 to 1993, the proportion of the population on public assistance rose in New York City from 10.2% to 13.3%. In the same period, it rose form 16.7% to 24.4% in Washington Heights and Inwood. The Washington Heights and Inwood community's age distribution show a high proportion of both young and elderly. The birth rate is about 50% grater in Washington Height and Inwood than New York City. As a result, the pediatric population is about 50% higher than the city average, and 25% higher than the Washington Heights-Inwood average 20 years ago. Fifteen percent of the community residents are people 65 years and over. The average number of residents per household is 2.8%. Housing in Northern Manhattan has a large number of deficiencies and other problems. Ninety two percent of the housing in Washington Heights-Inwood was build prior to 1960. It has the fifth oldest housing stock and 10th highest rate of lead poisoning of the 30 health districts of the city. The area has a higher death rate for homicide in comparison to Manhattan average. The malignant neoplasm and cardiovascular death rate (per 100,00 population) are much higher than the national goals for the year 20000 (neoplasm death rates in Washington Heights and Inwood 181, national goal 130; cardiovascular disease death rates in Washington Heights and Inwood 278, national goal 100).

Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center (CPMC) is the major health care source for the Washington Heights-Inwood Community and the only hospital in the area. The Hospital opened in 1928 and is renowned for its breakthroughs in tertiary care. CPMC has approximately 1,100 beds and is staffed by more then 1,100 attending physicians, 400 residents, and 100 visiting fellows. Each year, the Hospital admits more than 40,000 inpatients and handles close to 750,000 visits to its outpatient clinics, doctor's offices, and emergency room. The Medical Center also functions as a community hospital for the Northern end of Manhattan, which provides a population base for clinical studies. The College of Physician and Surgeons of Columbia University is physically integrated with Presbyterian Hospital, which allows close interaction between researchers and clinicians.

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