Behavioral health correlates of exposure to community violence among African-American adolescents in Chicago |
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| Institution: | 1. University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration, United States;2. University of Chicago, STI/HIV Intervention Network, United States;3. Wayne State University, School of Social Work, United States;4. University of California at Los Angles, School of Public Affairs, United States;5. Loyola University, Department of Psychology, United States;1. School of Social Work, University at Buffalo, 685 Baldy Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260, United States;2. Department of Children, Youth, and Families, USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 1150 South Olive St. Suite 1425, Los Angeles, CA 90015, United States;3. College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, 325Q Stillman Hall, 1947 College Road, Columbus, OH 43210, United States;4. School of Social Service Administration, The University of Chicago, 969 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, United States;5. Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States;1. School of Social Work, University of Memphis, 226 McCord Hall, Memphis, TN 38152-3330, USA;2. School of Social Work, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus, 1404 Gortner Ave, St Paul, MN 55108, USA;3. Korean Educational Development Institute, #583, Gyohak-ro Deoksan-myeon, Jincheon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do 27873, Republic of Korea |
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| Abstract: | AimsThough public health researchers are more aware of behavioral health concerns among African American youth, few studies have explored how exposure to community violence may be related to adverse youth concerns. This study examines the relationship between exposure to community violence and mental health problems, substance use, school engagement, juvenile justice involvement, and STI risk behaviors.MethodsA total of 638 African American adolescents living in predominantly low-income, urban communities participated in the study by completing self-report measures on exposure to community violence, mental health, school engagement proxies, substance use, delinquency markers and sexual risk behaviors.ResultsAdolescents who reported higher rates of exposure to community violence were significantly more likely to report poorer mental health, delinquent behaviors, a history of juvenile justice involvement, lower school bonding and student-teacher connectedness. These youth were also significantly more likely to use alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit substances, and engage in sexual risk behaviors.ConclusionsFindings suggest that there is a critical need for culturally relevant prevention and intervention efforts for African American adolescents who are frequently exposed to community violence. |
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