TY - JOUR
T1 - Longitudinal Heterogeneity in Handgun-Carrying Behavior Among Urban American Youth
T2 - Intervention Priorities at Different Life Stages
AU - Dong, Beidi
AU - Jacoby, Sara F.
AU - Morrison, Christopher N.
AU - Wiebe, Douglas J.
PY - 2019/4
Y1 - 2019/4
N2 - Purpose: To determine longitudinal patterns of handgun-carrying behavior among urban American youth and identify modifiable risk factors associated with distinct carrying patterns that should be targeted at different life stages. Methods: Using panel data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, we estimated longitudinal trajectories of handgun carrying among urban Americans, who carried a handgun at least once between 1997 and 2011 (N = 1,574). Multinomial logistic regression analyses examined risk factors associated with handgun-carrying trajectory groups during late adolescence (ages 16–20), emerging adulthood (ages 20–24), and young established adulthood (ages 24–28). Results: Group-based trajectory analyses identified four groups: Declining (35.0%, N = 560), bell-shaped (35.5%; N = 561), late-initiating (19.6%; N = 303), and high-persistent (9.9%; N = 150). During late adolescence, lower risks of mental health problems, hard drug use, police arrest, and presence of a gang in the neighborhood or school differentiated the late-initiating group from the other higher risk groups. During emerging and young established adulthood, higher risks of alcohol use, police arrest, and presence of a gang in the neighborhood or school were associated with trajectory groups with higher likelihood of handgun carrying than the declining group. Conclusions: There are more than one profile of adolescents and young adults who carry handguns. Preventive interventions should have distinct priorities that address different patterns of handgun-carrying behavior at different life stages.
AB - Purpose: To determine longitudinal patterns of handgun-carrying behavior among urban American youth and identify modifiable risk factors associated with distinct carrying patterns that should be targeted at different life stages. Methods: Using panel data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, we estimated longitudinal trajectories of handgun carrying among urban Americans, who carried a handgun at least once between 1997 and 2011 (N = 1,574). Multinomial logistic regression analyses examined risk factors associated with handgun-carrying trajectory groups during late adolescence (ages 16–20), emerging adulthood (ages 20–24), and young established adulthood (ages 24–28). Results: Group-based trajectory analyses identified four groups: Declining (35.0%, N = 560), bell-shaped (35.5%; N = 561), late-initiating (19.6%; N = 303), and high-persistent (9.9%; N = 150). During late adolescence, lower risks of mental health problems, hard drug use, police arrest, and presence of a gang in the neighborhood or school differentiated the late-initiating group from the other higher risk groups. During emerging and young established adulthood, higher risks of alcohol use, police arrest, and presence of a gang in the neighborhood or school were associated with trajectory groups with higher likelihood of handgun carrying than the declining group. Conclusions: There are more than one profile of adolescents and young adults who carry handguns. Preventive interventions should have distinct priorities that address different patterns of handgun-carrying behavior at different life stages.
KW - Handgun carrying
KW - Intervention priorities
KW - Longitudinal heterogeneity
KW - Trajectory groups
KW - Urban
KW - Youth
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85056638907&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.09.026
DO - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.09.026
M3 - Article
C2 - 30455034
AN - SCOPUS:85056638907
SN - 1054-139X
VL - 64
SP - 502
EP - 508
JO - Journal of Adolescent Health
JF - Journal of Adolescent Health
IS - 4
ER -