Geospatial and Built Environment Influences on Youth Gun Violence in the United States: An Environment-Wide Association Study and Random Forests Analysis
Description
Gun violence is the leading cause of death for youth in the United States. Most incidents (>50%) involve youth being harmed by others, and over 75% occur in the communities where young people live, at home or on neighborhood streets. Because of this, understanding how the built environment shapes youth experiences of gun violence is essential for developing upstream, community-level solutions.
What We Know
Research shows that green spaces—such as tree cover, parks, and natural areas—are protective against violent injury, while vacant lots and high alcohol outlet density are associated with increased firearm violence. Other studies on child maltreatment and intimate partner violence suggest that neighborhood disconnectedness raises risk, while strong community support and proximity to local non-profits are protective. However, most existing research focuses on adults or the general population, and not specifically on youth.
What This Study Addresses
There is limited evidence on how a wide range of built environment factors are specifically associated with youth gun violence. This study fills that gap by using hypothesis-generating methods—including Environment-Wide Association Studies (EWAS) and Random Forest modeling—to examine a broad array of built environment characteristics, including many never before studied in relation to youth gun violence. By identifying which built environment factors are most strongly or weakly associated with youth gun violence, this research will provide foundational insights for future causal studies and solution building efforts with communities. Findings will help guide the development of interventions, programs, and policies that strengthen protective neighborhood environments and reduce youth exposure to gun violence.
Links
[forthcoming]