Bridging the Response to Mass Shootings and Urban Violence: Exposure to Violence in New Haven, Connecticut

Abstract

We have described self-reported exposure to gun violence in an urban community of color to inform the movement toward a public health approach to gun violence prevention. The Community Alliance for Research and Engagement at Yale School of Public Health conducted community health needs assessments to document chronic disease prevalence and risk, including exposure to gun violence. We conducted surveys with residents in six low-income neighborhoods in New Haven, Connecticut, using a neighborhood-stratified, population-based sample (n = 1189; weighted sample to represent the neighborhoods, n = 29 675). Exposure to violence is pervasive in these neighborhoods: 73% heard gunshots; many had family members or close friends hurt (29%) or killed (18%) by violent acts. Although all respondents live in low-income neighborhoods, exposure to violence differs by race/ethnicity and social class. Residents of color experienced significantly more violence than did White residents, with a particularly disparate increase among young Black men aged 18 to 34 years. While not ignoring societal costs of horrific mass shootings, we must be clear that a public health approach to gun violence prevention means focusing on the dual epidemic of mass shootings and urban violence.

A natural experiment study of the effects of imprisonment on violence in the community

“…In the post-sentence risk period (which includes the effects of incapacitation), the unadjusted probability of both arrest and conviction for a violent crime were lower among those sentenced to prison compared to probation at all time points, as shown in Figure 1, Panel A (p<0.001 for all point-in-time differences; t-statistics [degrees of freedom]: Panel 1 [63,583]). However, when we removed incapacitation by examining the post-release risk period, the unadjusted probabilities of both arrest and conviction for a violent crime were higher among those sentenced to prison compared to probation, as shown in Figure 1, Panel B (p<0.001 for all point-in-time differences; t-statistics [degrees of freedom]: Panel 3 [58,272]). It was unclear whether these unadjusted outcomes reflect causal effects of imprisonment itself or systematic unobserved differences between those sentenced to prison rather than probation in underlying propensity to engage in violence, thus motivating our use of the natural experiment based on judge random assignment.…”

Resiliency and Allostatic Load among Veterans at Risk for Adverse Prostate Cancer Outcomes

“…African American men, for instance are significantly more likely than White men to have experienced chronic medical conditions, 30,31 socioeconomic stressors, and be a victim of gun violence. [32][33][34] Our findings raise important questions about the physiological risks associated with the efforts that male Veterans may use to adapt when changes occur and bounce back from injury, illness, and other hardships. According to previous reports, men who have greater resilience (eg, are able to adapt or bounce back), 16 should have lower risk for allostatic load.…”

Incorporating Health Equity and Community Perspectives During COVID-19: Commonalities with Cardiovascular Health Equity Research

“…2 Exposure to community-level firearm violence has been associated with poor Perspective: COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Health Equity -Payton Foh and Echeverria health outcomes, including physical inactivity. 3 However, comprehensive data collection on firearms violence in the United States is severely lacking.…”