How Community and Individual Risk Factors Mutually Impact Youth’s Perceived Safety: A Syndemic Analysis Using Structural Equation Modeling

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mutual impact of community and individual factors on youth’s perceptions of community safety, using structural equation modeling (SEM) conceptualized by syndemic theory. This study used survey data collected from a county wide sample of middle and high school students (N=25,147) in West Central Florida in 2015. The outcome variable was youth’s perceptions of community safety. Predictors were latent individual and community factors constructed from 14 observed variables including gun accessibility, substance use, depressive symptoms, and multiple neighborhood disadvantage questions. Three structural equation models were conceptualized based on syndemic theory and analyzed in Mplus 8 using weighted least squares (WLS) estimation. Each model’s goodness of fit was assessed. Approximately seven percent of youth reported feeling unsafe in their community. After model modifications, the final model showed a good fit of the data and adhered to the theoretical assumption. In the final SEM model, an individual latent factor was implied by individual predictors measuring gun accessibility without adult’s permission (β=0.70), sadness and hopelessness (β=0.52), alcohol use (β=0.79), marijuana use (β=0.94), and illegal drug use (β=0.77). Meanwhile, a community latent factor was indicated by multiple community problems including public drinking (β=0.88), drug addiction (β=0.96), drug selling (β=0.97), lack of money (β=0.83), gang activities (β=0.90), litter and trash (β=0.79), graffiti (β=0.91), deserted houses (β=0.86), and shootings (β=0.93). A second-order syndemic factor that represented the individual and community factors showed a very strong negative association with youth’s safe perception (β=-0.98). This study indicates that individual risk factors and disadvantaged community conditions interacted with each other and mutually affected youth’s perceptions of community safety. To reduce these co-occurring effects and improve safe perceptions among youth, researchers and practitioners should develop and implement comprehensive strategies targeting both individual and community factors.

Young People’s Perspectives on Safety and Safety Promotion in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

“…R. Hughes et al, 2015; Russell et al, 2023; Zuberi, 2018) and the presence of unfriendly people or criminals (Johansson et al, 2012; Nayak, 2003) threaten youths’ safety and constrain their exploration of the community. Further, consistent with the discourse, current research shows that environmental and public safety factors such as poor street lighting, litter, poor road traffic features, and low police patrols are safety concerns in urban communities (Carver et al, 2009; Doyle et al, 2016; Johansson et al, 2012; Yang, Liller, Coulter, et al, 2022; Yang, Liller, Tyson, et al, 2022). The threats to safety discourse suggests that people feel unsafe in the absence of a “climate of social peace,” or when “dangers related to injuries” are not controlled, or when individuals’“physical, material, or moral integrity” is not respected, as required by the SP model (Maurice et al, 1997).…”

“…These themes relate to features of the physical environment, road traffic system features, public safety practices, and social cohesion factors (Carver et al, 2009; De Wet et al, 2018; Johansson et al, 2012; Russell et al, 2023; Slaato et al, 2023; Yang, Liller, Tyson, et al, 2022). Regarding the physical environment of the community, research shows that young people perceive cleanliness, functional lampposts, and fire hydrants among others as safety enhancing whereas they perceive an environment filled with litter and trash and dysfunctional lampposts and fire hydrants as unsafe (Yang, Liller, Coulter, et al, 2022; Yang, Liller, Tyson, et al, 2022). Perceived road traffic safety is another important factor in young people’s concerns about safety in their neighborhoods (Carver et al, 2009; Johansson et al, 2012; Yang, Liller, Tyson, et al, 2022).…”

“…Community social cohesion factors also shape young people’s perceptions of safety (Allik & Kearns, 2017). The presence of supportive people, opportunities for social inclusion, and the absence of conflict or crime promote feelings of safety among youth, whereas an atmosphere of conflict, crime, drug use, and fights where weapons are within easy access is perceived as unsafe (De Wet et al, 2018; Johansson et al, 2012; Nicksic et al, 2018; Russell et al, 2023; Slaato et al, 2023; Yang, Liller, Coulter, et al, 2022; Yang, Liller, Tyson, et al, 2022). For example, conflict, crime or fights in which weapons may be used may induce the fear of harm on the way to or from school, work, or recreation centers and, therefore, may affect youth’s health and participation in school and other activities (De Wet et al, 2018; M.…”

“…Regarding safety and health, research has found that “Lower general feelings of safety” in an atmosphere of “higher rates of violent crime” are “associated with worse self-rated health” (Putrik et al, 2019). In addition, young people feel unsafe in the face of gang activities and people perceived as pedophiles or rapists (Johansson et al, 2012; Nicksic et al, 2018; Yang, Liller, Coulter, et al, 2022). Youth have also identified some behaviors and attitudes that adults put up which make them feel unsafe.…”

Using a Syndemic Framework and Structural Equation Modeling to Assess the Co-occurrence and Mutual Impact of Violence Experiences and Substance Use Behaviors Among Adolescents

“…SEM is a multivariate statistical method with the capacity to identify latent factors that represent multiple predictors via confirmatory factor analysis and measure their correlations via path analysis (Kline, 2016). This advanced statistical method has been applied to studies on youth risk behaviors and mental health issues to measure the cumulative impact of multiple predictors (Yang, 2023; Yang et al, 2020; Yang, Liller, Coulter et al, 2022).…”