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10-03-2025

Racialized economic segregation and youth firearm carriage: community violence as a mediator

Auteurs: Daniel B Lee, Zainab Hans, Samantha L. Aprill, Philip Stallworth, Marc A. Zimmerman, Maureen A. Walton, Patrick M. Carter

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Firearm carriage poses a significant public health challenge, especially for youth (ages 14–24) living in predominantly Black communities that endured racial and economic segregation. Structural racism is a determinant of fatal and nonfatal firearm assaults, but the influence of structural racism on youth firearm carriage has received limited attention. Our study examines whether community violence exposure mediates the association between racialized economic segregation and youth firearm carriage. We analyzed data among 599 youths who sought emergency care and reported drug use within the past six months. Our mediation analysis revealed that increased racialized economic segregation was associated with higher perceived community violence. In turn, a heightened perception of community violence was associated with youth firearm carriage. Our findings advocate for upstream interventions that address the systemic marginalization of Black communities from economic isolation to mitigate community violence and, ultimately, reduce risk for youth firearm carriage.

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Titel: Racialized economic segregation and youth firearm carriage: community violence as a mediator
Auteurs: Daniel B Lee
Zainab Hans
Samantha L. Aprill
Philip Stallworth
Marc A. Zimmerman
Maureen A. Walton
Patrick M. Carter
Publicatiedatum: 10-03-2025
Uitgeverij: Springer US
Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Behavioral Medicine
Print ISSN: 0160-7715
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-3521
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-025-00564-z

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Racialized economic segregation and youth firearm carriage: community violence as a mediator

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