Supporting Gang Violence Prevention Efforts
The impact of gang violence on a youth's risk for death or injury is tremendous. Prevention of complex societal problems, such as gang violence, requires a substantial effort and commitment from many sectors and disciplines. Nurses are uniquely positioned to help lead such efforts. Understanding the public health perspective to gang violence may be an important tool for nurses attempting to prevent this problem. The public health approach has four key components: defining and monitoring the problem; identifying risk, protective, and promoting factors; developing and evaluating interventions; and dissemination. This article outlines these components, current research on gang violence, and concludes by summarizing critical challenges for nurses to consider as they contribute to public health initiatives to prevent gang violence.
Many health providers might not think they would see the words "gang violence" and "public health" in the same sentence. However, nurses who work in emergency rooms, schools, local public health agencies, and health clinics located in communities with high levels of gang activity likely have daily reminders that gang violence and public health do intersect. In reaction to research showing an 'epidemic' of gang violence in many urban areas (Hutson, Anglin, Kyriacou, Hart, & Spears, 1995), the nursing community identified gang-involved youth as a vulnerable population in need of services that can help prevent gang violence and improve the health and well-being of this population (Sanders, Schneiderman, Loken, Lankenau, & Bloom, 2009).
From 2002 to 2006, gangs were responsible for approximately 20% of homicides in the 88 largest United States (US) cities (Pyrooz, 2011). Preventing gang affiliation and the formation of gangs might significantly reduce gang-related violence. The emergence and persistence of gangs is thought to be a byproduct of societal problems, such as social, economic, and educational disparities (Howell, 2012). Youth may become involved with gangs to gain a sense of control and power over these social disparities and to have a sense of camaraderie with others, especially if they lack strong connections with parents, other family members, and peers (Howell, 2012). Instead of social connection, these youth become further isolated from more positive social members of society and social, religious, and educational institutions, such as schools, faith-based institutions, and social services (Klein & Maxson, 2006). Sometimes, it is not until youth are seriously injured from gang violence that they get re-connected to more positive social institutions through the help of professionals in the health care sector. Therefore, in this capacity nurses are uniquely positioned to help lead gang violence prevention efforts and improve the health and well-being of this vulnerable population.
Many nurses have the desire to help youth involved in gangs, but may not know the best way to address this problem within their occupational role. This article outlines one method, the public health approach, for understanding and preventing gang violence. Specifically, we discuss why a public health approach is useful to preventing gang violence; how each component of the public health approach can be applied to prevent gang involvement, gang violence, and other gang activity; and how nurses can use their role to support public health strategies intended to reduce gang violence.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
The impact of gang violence on a youth's risk for death or injury is tremendous. Prevention of complex societal problems, such as gang violence, requires a substantial effort and commitment from many sectors and disciplines. Nurses are uniquely positioned to help lead such efforts. Understanding the public health perspective to gang violence may be an important tool for nurses attempting to prevent this problem. The public health approach has four key components: defining and monitoring the problem; identifying risk, protective, and promoting factors; developing and evaluating interventions; and dissemination. This article outlines these components, current research on gang violence, and concludes by summarizing critical challenges for nurses to consider as they contribute to public health initiatives to prevent gang violence.
Introduction
Many health providers might not think they would see the words "gang violence" and "public health" in the same sentence. However, nurses who work in emergency rooms, schools, local public health agencies, and health clinics located in communities with high levels of gang activity likely have daily reminders that gang violence and public health do intersect. In reaction to research showing an 'epidemic' of gang violence in many urban areas (Hutson, Anglin, Kyriacou, Hart, & Spears, 1995), the nursing community identified gang-involved youth as a vulnerable population in need of services that can help prevent gang violence and improve the health and well-being of this population (Sanders, Schneiderman, Loken, Lankenau, & Bloom, 2009).
From 2002 to 2006, gangs were responsible for approximately 20% of homicides in the 88 largest United States (US) cities (Pyrooz, 2011). Preventing gang affiliation and the formation of gangs might significantly reduce gang-related violence. The emergence and persistence of gangs is thought to be a byproduct of societal problems, such as social, economic, and educational disparities (Howell, 2012). Youth may become involved with gangs to gain a sense of control and power over these social disparities and to have a sense of camaraderie with others, especially if they lack strong connections with parents, other family members, and peers (Howell, 2012). Instead of social connection, these youth become further isolated from more positive social members of society and social, religious, and educational institutions, such as schools, faith-based institutions, and social services (Klein & Maxson, 2006). Sometimes, it is not until youth are seriously injured from gang violence that they get re-connected to more positive social institutions through the help of professionals in the health care sector. Therefore, in this capacity nurses are uniquely positioned to help lead gang violence prevention efforts and improve the health and well-being of this vulnerable population.
Many nurses have the desire to help youth involved in gangs, but may not know the best way to address this problem within their occupational role. This article outlines one method, the public health approach, for understanding and preventing gang violence. Specifically, we discuss why a public health approach is useful to preventing gang violence; how each component of the public health approach can be applied to prevent gang involvement, gang violence, and other gang activity; and how nurses can use their role to support public health strategies intended to reduce gang violence.