Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
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Understanding the burden of gun violence among youth is a public health imperative. While most estimates are based on direct and witnessed victimization, living nearby gun violence incidents may be consequential too. Yet detailed information about these broader experiences of violence is lacking. ⋯ Black and Latinx youth were 3-7 times more likely, depending on the exposure radius, to experience a past-year gun homicide than white youth and on average experienced incidents more recently and closer to home. Household poverty contributed to exposure inequities, but disproportionate residence in disadvantaged neighborhoods was especially consequential: for all racial/ethnic groups, the difference in the probability of exposure between youth in low vs high poverty households was approximately 5-10 percentage points, while the difference between youth residing in low vs high disadvantage neighborhoods was approximately 50 percentage points. Given well-documented consequences of gun violence exposure on health, these more comprehensive estimates underscore the importance of supportive strategies not only for individual victims but entire communities in the aftermath of gun violence.
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This study compares and contrasts residents' perceptions of segregation measures using qualitative and quantitative data. Most studies exploring racial residential segregation and health outcomes use large-scale, metropolitan-wide measures. As a result, we have limited understanding of racial residential segregation outside of Census data, particularly about the firsthand experiences of those living in segregated areas. ⋯ Using novel qualitative interview questions, we explored the dimensions of segregation and neighborhood racial distribution among a sample of 27 pregnant, Black women between April and November 2019. The participants included in this sample had perceptions about their neighborhood segregation and demographic composition that were often different from the data derived from existing residential US Census data. The differences between qualitative and quantitative measures and the possible reasons for the discordance suggest new approaches to measurement and new directions for the study of segregation and health.
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The USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities (BHC) work in Da Nang, Vietnam, engaged 108 multi-sector stakeholders to gather qualitative data across two workshops and three citizen town halls from 2019 to 2021. These data were synthesized with the results from BHC's seven other activities in Da Nang to build systems maps. Contextual findings showed that multi-sector, multi-level participation and collaboration have been the key to moving the city toward their smart and livable city goals. ⋯ Stakeholders found four key leverage points within this context that, if included in every action, could help overcome barriers. These leverage opportunities are: (1) investing at all levels; (2) improving function and innovation of information technology; (3) increasing participation and feedback; and (4) creating more responsive policy. As BHC concludes activities in Da Nang, local university students will be trained on systems mapping techniques to embed systems thinking skills into the next generation of workforce, and a set of recommendations will be developed to share with the government to act on these findings.
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In Indore, India, BHC engaged 247 multi-sector stakeholders through a systems mapping approach to gather qualitative data across three workshops and four citizen town halls from 2018 to 2020. These data were synthesized with results from BHC's 18 other city activities to build a systems map and identify high-impact areas for engagement. Contextual findings showed a tension at the heart of Indore's growth-Indore's great success as a city has spurred rapid population growth. ⋯ These opportunities are: (1) improving data quality, use, and integration; (2) supporting accountability to, and enforcement of, policies and regulations; and (3) increasing community engagement. Brought together through a better understanding of the key patterns driving system behavior from the context map and leverage opportunities, BHC was able to co-create, with stakeholders, seven "coherent actions" to move Indore to a healthier, more equitable state. When COVID-19 regulations ease, BHC and city officials will reconvene to finalize an implementation plan for these actions.
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While studying polyvictimization is well established within the broader violence literature and applied to other types of violence, it has yet to be documented whether polyvictimization also presents in patterns of police violence exposure (i.e., neglectful, psychological, physical, and sexual police violence). Our objective was to analyze latent patterns of co-occurring police contact and their associations with mental health. By applying latent class analysis (LCA) methods to the 2016 and 2017 Surveys of Police-Public Encounters (N = 2615), conducted in 4 Northeastern US cities, we identified classes of direct and vicarious police violence and compared sociodemographic characteristics among classes using multinomial regression. ⋯ Compared to Positive Police Contact (33.0%) class members, members of the (a) Extreme Police Violence (4.0%) class reported higher anticipation of future police victimization, psychological distress, and suicide ideations and attempts; they were more likely to be Black, cisgender men, and Latinx; (b) members of the High Police Violence (23.6%) class reported higher anticipation of future police victimization and psychological distress; they were more likely to be Black, Native American, and multiracial; members of the (c) Low Police Contact (39.5%) class had comparable mental health outcomes; they were more likely to report a household income < $19,999. Notably, no participants were unexposed to police contact. Polyvictimization presents in experiences of police violence and disproportionately impacts structurally marginalized people.