Perceived neighborhood crime and gun carrying behavior: examining the role of a history of traumatic brain injury.

backgroundIndividuals living in high crime neighborhoods are more likely to carry a firearm. Members of these communities are also more likely to experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in their lifetime, which is a common correlate of hypervigilance and aggression. The current study evaluates the independent and interactive effects of TBI on perceived levels of neighborhood crime and gun carrying.

methodsData from 2015 to 2017 from a longitudinal ethnically diverse sample of adolescents and young adults are analyzed (Ns = 600-734). Multivariate logistic regression models are estimated to evaluate associations between perceived levels of neighborhood crime, TBI, gun carrying, and threatening another person with a gun.

resultsPerceived neighborhood crime is associated with higher odds of carrying a gun (AOR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.03-1.12). Participants with a history of TBI due specifically to physical violence are twice as likely to report carrying (AOR = 2.94; 95% CI = 1.51-6.47), while participants with a history of TBI due to a nearby explosion are over seven times as likely (AOR = 7.38; 95% CI = 2.23-21.93). TBI due to a nearby explosion is associated with a six-fold increase in the odds of threatening another person with a gun (AOR = 6.60; 95% CI = 1.47-29.64).

conclusionsTBI should be considered in gun violence prevention/intervention programming efforts. Information gleaned from the cause of TBI can help to tailor intervention strategies to individuals growing up in neighborhoods where they feel unsafe.