Rates Of Violence Research Articles

“Sleepless nights are a daily reality for us” how mothers experiencing homelessness in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia describe street life: a photovoice study

IntroductionHomelessness among women of reproductive age is a global problem. Several unique gender-based issues affect homeless women’s well-being, including reproductive health issues, their homelessness experiences, and a high rate of sexual violence. In this study, we aimed to describe women’s experiences of street homelessness in their own terms and their suggestions to address their unmet needs.MethodsThis photovoice study draws on photos, focus group discussions, and semi-structured interviews. We conducted the study in collaboration with women in their reproductive years experiencing homelessness (n = 9). A total of 80 photos were taken, and 40 were chosen to be discussed in interviews and further focus group discussions. The participating women selected photographs, explained their significance, and codified them based on how they related to their lives. Data from these discussions were then analysed using a reflexive thematic approach.ResultsFour themes were developed from the data: (a) deprivation of basic needs; (b) experiencing dependency, shame, and seclusion while dealing with the burden of street life; (c) the vulnerability and neglect of children; and (d) being resilient to harsh conditions. In this study, women’s street life was characterised by numerous unfavourable aspects, including unmet needs, human rights violations, social exclusions, substance use, and child protection issues. Participants provided suggestions for change and confirmed their belief that adequate housing represents one of the most urgent unmet basic needs of people experiencing homelessness. They also emphasised the critical need for employment opportunities, non-discriminatory provision of social support, treatment programs for substance misuse, and legal and social protection.ConclusionThis study contributes to understanding how women experiencing homelessness describe and articulate their living circumstances and what they perceive needs to be addressed. Based on participants’ proposal for change, comprehensive services are needed to address women’s multifaceted issues. However, the mitigation strategies and long-term effects of women’s homelessness require further research.

PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST MEN IN PORT HARCOURT METROPOLIS, RIVERS STATE

The study investigated prevalence and determinants of domestic violence against men in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State. Descriptive survey research design was used for the study. Five research questions and four null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study consisted of 2,344,000 adults in the area. Multistage sampling technique was used to select a sample of 440 respondents for the study. A self-designed questionnaire titled “Prevalence and Determinants of Domestic Violence among Men Questionnaire’’ (PDDVMQ) was used for data collection. Face and content validation were done by experts in the department of Human Kinetics, Health and Safety Education. The instrument had a reliability coefficient of r=0.70 for partners self-defence, r=0.72 for economical factor, =0.79 for feminism, r=0.74 infidelity, r=0.71 for prevalence of domestic violence. The research questions were analyzed using mean and standard deviation while the null hypotheses were analyzed using simple regression analysis at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that partners’ self-defense, economic factors, feminism, infidelity acted as a determinant of domestic violence against men in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State. That there was high prevalence rate (79%) of domestic violence against men in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State. It was further revealed that there was significant relationship between partners’ self-defense (t = 6.000; p=0.00 < 0.05), economic factors (t = 9.622; p=0.00 < 0.05), feminism (t = 6.418; p=0.00 < 0.05), infidelity (t = 9.001; p=0.00 < 0.05) and domestic violence against men in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State. It was recommended among others that; International NGOs should be strengthened to carryout campaigns on attitudinal change in the larger society so that masculinity identities which hinder male victims from exposing violence against them could be minimized and in turn get health care service to help minimize the negative health impact from such abuses.

Experiences of violence and hospitalization rates among people living with HIV in British Columbia, Canada

ABSTRACT People living with HIV (PLWH) in Canada experience high rates of interpersonal violence which may lead to adverse health outcomes that require hospitalization. Using self-reported data on experiences of violence linked to administrative health data on hospitalizations, we used Poisson regression modelling to examine and compare the associations between experiences of violence (recent [in the past 6 months], non-recent [>6 months ago], or none) and hospitalization rates, among a sample of PLWH in British Columbia, Canada. Of 984 PLWH included in this study, 60.0% reported experiencing non-recent violence, and 14.8% experienced recent violence. Those who experienced non-recent violence had a higher rate of hospitalization than those who never experienced violence (adjusted Rate Ratio [aRR]: 1.41; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.05–1.87). There was no difference in hospitalization rates between those who experienced recent violence and those who never did (aRR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.74-1.60). PLWH who experienced recent violence had the highest proportion of hospitalizations attributed to mental, behavioural, or neurodevelopmental disorders. Efforts are needed to provide violence-aware care that recognizes violence and its impacts on PLWH experiencing multiple sociostructural inequities. Further studies should evaluate the impacts of violence on other types of healthcare utilization in generalizable samples of PLWH in Canada.

LGBTQ+ Adult Sexual Violence Critical Scoping Review: Insights into Victimization and Perpetration.

The existing research on sexual violence has primarily concentrated on instances where cisgender, heterosexual men have perpetrated sexual violence against cisgender, heterosexual women, with knowledge about LGBTQ+ people underdeveloped. However, there is a growing body of literature examining the experiences of LGBTQ+ people. No previous review has critically synthesized both quantitative and qualitative scholarly studies on adult LGBTQ+ sexual violence globally. In this scoping review, we provide a comprehensive overview of current research by examining the prevalence of victimization and perpetration of adult LGBTQ+ sexual violence. To do this, an extensive search of the Discovery database was conducted, and studies published between 1990 and September 2021 were included. The final sample comprised 108 papers focused on LGBTQ+ participants' experiences of adult sexual violence. Across studies, LGBTQ+ people were found to experience high rates of sexual violence, most commonly perpetrated by men, with rates the highest among transgender and gender-diverse people and bisexual women. However, the body of research is limited as it largely consists of quantitative studies from the United States with differing methodological approaches for measuring sexual violence and gender and sexuality, making it difficult to draw comparisons across studies. We propose recommendations to enhance future research on LGBTQ+ sexual violence.

The influence of mass media in the protection of women through the implementation of regional regulation no. 5 of 2013 on the protection of women and children in west Sumatra province

Gender equality is still one of the things that must always be pursued by the government together with all elements in each region. Gender equality can be seen from cases of gender- based violence that still exist in an area. The rate of violence against women in West Sumatra Province is still considered high. In 2022 the number of violence against women was 216 cases and in 2023 it increased to 228 cases. The Regional Government of West Sumatra Province has taken various ways to reduce the number of violence against women and realize gender equality, namely by making a Women's Protection policy, namely Regional Regulation No. 5 of 2013. Based on Regional Regulation No. 5 of 2013, the government collaborates with various stakeholders. This study looks at how collaboration between all elements in the protection of women in West Sumatra. This study uses quantitative methods to test the hypothesis about the influence of each stakeholder using Kendall's Rank formula. The Penta Helix collaboration theory according to Ramesh and Howlett will be used to see the collaboration relationship between actors in implementing women's protection policies. The results of hypothesis testing show that there is a positive relationship between actor collaboration in policy implementation. The most influential actors are the local government with an influence value of 0.741* and the mass media with an influence value of 0.530*.

Lethal Violence and the Racialized Failure of the American State

Scholarly work in American politics has yet to confront one of the nation’s starkest inequalities: lethal violence. The risk falls disproportionately on Black Americans, but much like poverty and inequality, lethal violence is a broadly American problem that African Americans are disproportionately likely to experience. The lack of attention to life-threatening violence has limited our understanding of race, criminal justice, and the nature of the American state. We draw on work in American political development and racial politics to extend a racialized state failure framework for understanding the United States as a high-violence society. Life-threatening violence declined dramatically in the nineteenth century in countries where state building involved the integrated consolidation of centralized violence monopolization and universal male suffrage. Such efforts faltered in the US, however, and violence thrived. We argue that this racialized state failure is the result of two reinforcing features of American politics: anti-transformative racial orders and institutional fragmentation. Fragmentation has long provided opportunities for anti-transformative racial orders to limit national intervention in violence control and enfranchisement, even during critical junctures when institutions are less determinate, and actions by decision makers are more likely to generate change. We illustrate the disruption of state building by racial orders, which minimized the state’s capacity to delegitimize violent self-help during two critical junctures in the US: Reconstruction and the crime wave of the mid- to late twentieth century. The resulting institutional configuration, which we refer to as forced localism, reinforces the jurisdictional authority of highly constrained state and local institutions in violence attenuation. The consequence is exceptionally high rates of serious violence and a harsh and exclusionary criminal justice system, with Black Americans exceptionally vulnerable to both.

Sisonke Ntwana: Describing the mechanisms of change of an arts-based intervention for pregnant and parenting adolescents experiencing violence and poor mental health in South Africa.

In South Africa, one in five adolescents experience pregnancy and face heightened rates of interpersonal violence and mental health challenges. Yet, few interventions are tailored to them. 28 pregnant adolescents reporting past year intimate partner violence and/or non-partner rape were purposively recruited in antenatal clinics in Johannesburg to attend a 6-session arts-based intervention, delivered by 4 graduate art therapy students alongside clinical supervision. Arts-based processes of collage, body mapping, projective drawing, and sandtray with psychoeducation, mindfulness practice, and safe parenting skills, were facilitated. Feasibility, and mechanisms of change were assessed through a focus group discussion with participants (n=7) and endline interviews with participants (n=18), interventionists (n=4), and lived experience researchers (n=4). Data were managed in Dedoose software and thematically coded. Mutual care ameliorated feelings of loneliness and provided opportunities to observe others in similar circumstances. High quality therapeutic interactions helped generate socioemotional skills and hope. Being able to "speak the unspeakable" through artistic engagement and dialogue via image making fostered critical awareness and insight. Improved self-expression was described, recognizing an "embodied approach" as preferable to talking alone. Psychoeducation helped understand physiological responses in pregnancy and how trauma operates across generations. Several participants felt the intervention was too short and raised privacy concerns in a group format. There was some initial trepidation using novel art materials. Findings confirm the therapeutic advantage of integrating non-verbal methods in treating adolescent mental health. Sisonke Ntwana holds potential for supporting pregnant and parenting adolescents during a pivotal life stage.

Valuing the benefits of reducing firearm violence in the United States

Justifying a proposed government regulation intended to reduce firearm violence requires a conceptually sound estimate of the monetized value of that impact and how that value is distributed across the population. Some previous estimates do not serve as a valid basis for policy evaluation or are out of date. A nationally representative survey was conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research in August 2022 (n = 660). The authors designed and added a series of contingent-valuation items to the questionnaire. Double-bounded estimates of willingness-to-pay (WTP) were derived from a regression analysis of responses regarding voting on a hypothetical referendum on a state-wide package of measures designed to reduce gun violence at specified cost to taxpayers. Average WTP for a reduction of 20% in the state rate of gun violence was $744 per household (IQR:$668-$928), implying a national total of $97.6 billion. Household WTP was positively associated with household income, the respondent's assessment of the seriousness of gun violence in their community and the subjective likelihood that they would become a victim of gun violence. A variety of tests support the claim that this application of the contingent-valuation method provided valid results. WTP is the recognized basis for assessing the value of proposed federal regulations. The estimated WTP for reducing gun violence is about twice as high as a recent cost-of-injury estimate and provides a much different picture of the incidence of costs by income and demographic characteristics.

Factors Affecting the Severity of Domestic Violence against Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northeastern Iran

Background and Objectives: Violence against pregnant women is a clear violation of women's rights associated with many consequences and complications both for the mother and fetus. In this study, we aimed to determine factors affecting the severity of domestic violence against pregnant women. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was carried out between July 2020 and September 2021. The participants were 234 women with low-risk pregnancies (28-40 weeks) who were transferred to the maternity ward of Bentolhoda Hospital in Bojnurd City. Mothers were selected by the convenience sampling method. A two-part questionnaire was used in this study, which included demographic and midwifery information questionnaires and a domestic violence questionnaire created by Tabrizi in 2013. Subsequently, the data were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: The prevalence rate of violence against pregnant women (experiencing at least one type of domestic violence from the husband) was 64.6%. Among those who had experienced violence, 36.1% of the participants experienced low to very mild violence during pregnancy and 63.9% experienced moderate violence. However, severe violence was not experienced by any of the research units. Also, there was a significant relationship between babies' gender and the severity of violence (P=0.03). Pregnant women with male fetus (OR = 3.14, CI95%:1.093–9.069) were 3.14 times more exposed to violence with moderate severity. Conclusion: In this study, most women suffered domestic violence with moderate severity. Among pregnant women with male fetuses, the severity of violence was even higher. Thus, it is necessary to pay a proper attention to the design and implementation of educational and support programs for these women to prevent domestic violence and reduce its adverse impacts.

A comparative study of family violence among Hindi-speaking and third-generation English-speaking Australian women

High prevalence and incidence rates of family violence (FV) amongst South Asian communities have been reported internationally. Despite the recognition that culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities within Australia have additional risk factors associated with experiencing FV, Australia has limited research exploring FV amongst one of its fastest growing CALD populations, South Asians. With the Hindi-speaking community accounting for the single largest group within the South Asian community in Australia, this study aimed to address this gap. The 2016 Personal Safety Survey (PSS) was used to explore the prevalence rate and risk factors associated with FV victimisation for Hindi-speaking Australian women and compare this with third-generation English-speaking Australian women. The findings indicated that Hindi-speaking Australian women reported a lower prevalence rate of FV yet had different risk factors associated with their risk of victimisation. Specifically, Hindi-speaking females had only experience-based risk factors (e.g., child abuse) related to their victimisation of FV, whilst third-generation English-speaking females had both experience and situational-based risk factors (e.g., unemployment). These findings are unlikely to be representative of all Hindi-speaking Australians nor of South Asian Australians more broadly, as the survey design may have been biased towards a particular subset of Hindi-speaking Australians who could speak English fluently. Recommendations on how to address such limitations in future studies are discussed.

Is exposure to a climate-related disaster associated with recent experiences of intimate partner violence among women? A post hoc analysis of survey data from rural Samoa

BackgroundThere is growing evidence that climate-related disasters increase rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women. However, there are only limited understandings of the size and nature of such associations...

Experiences of Intimate-Partner Violence and Violence from a Family Member During COVID-19 Among LGBTQ Adults in Australia

Abstract Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges and concerns regarding the potential exacerbation of violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse and queer people from intimate partners and family members. The impacts of the pandemic may have been disproportionately felt by LGBTQ communities who already experienced high rates of intimate-partner violence and violence from family members entering the pandemic. Method Data from 3,135 LGBTQ adults who completed an online survey of their experiences in Australia during the pandemic were analysed. Logistic regressions analyses were used to explore sociodemographic characteristics associated with rates of violence from an intimate partner or family member during the pandemic as well as the impact of government-ordered lockdowns on experience of these types of violence by comparing the states that experienced more extensive lockdowns (Victoria and New South Wales) to the rest of Australia. Results The study revealed high rates of violence from an intimate partner (16.9%) or family member (29.1%) during the pandemic, with many indicating that this violence was new or worsening during the pandemic. Experiences of IPV and violence from a family member were found to vary across gender, sexual orientation, multicultural background and residential location. However, no evidence suggested that lockdowns specifically had impacted the prevalence of IPV or violence from a family member within the LGBTQ community with rates not differing across states. Conclusions The risks of violence from an intimate partner or family member among LGBTQ individuals were high during the pandemic in Australia, regardless of lockdown measures. The findings underscore the importance of efforts to understand the systemic factors influencing IPV and violence from a family member within the LGBTQ community and address the enduring impacts of the pandemic.

Global Prevalence of Sexual Violence Against Children

Sexual violence against children is a global concern, yet worldwide figures of its prevalence are scant. To estimate the global prevalence of sexual violence against children using national-level population-based studies. We searched the PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ERIC, and APA PsycArticles databases from their respective inceptions to March 2022. Searches were updated through April 2024. Reports were included if (1) they were national-level population-based studies, (2) they reported lifetime or past-year prevalence data on any form of sexual violence against children (mean age ≤19 years), and (3) the data were based on children's self-reports of sexual violence perpetrated by anyone. Data extraction included study and participant characteristics, prevalence rates, and types of sexual violence. Outcomes were pooled using a random-effects model. Exploratory subgroup analyses were performed with categorical moderators. Primary outcomes included lifetime and past-year prevalence of forced sexual intercourse, contact sexual violence, and sexual harassment. We identified 165 studies that included 958 182 children from 80 countries, with the majority of data focusing on girls (58.2%). The sample sizes of the studies ranged from 330 to 132 948; the mean age ranged from 10.5 to 19.4 years. Lifetime sexual harassment was the most prevalent outcome, with a pooled rate of 11.4% (95% CI, 8.5%-15.1%), followed by any contact sexual violence, with a rate of 8.7% (95% CI, 4.7%-15.5%). Furthermore, 6.1% (95% CI, 5.1%-7.3%) of children reported experiencing completed forced sexual intercourse in their lifetime, and 1.3% (95% CI, 1.0%-1.7%) reported experiencing it in the preceding year. Rates of lifetime completed forced sexual intercourse were higher among girls (6.8% [95% CI, 6.1%-7.6%]) compared with boys (3.3% [95% CI, 2.5%-4.3%]), similar to past-year violence (2.3% [95% CI 1.9%-2.7%] for girls and 0.6% [95% CI 0.4%-0.9%] for boys). We found considerable variation across regions and countries in the reported prevalence of sexual violence. Older age of children, lower national income levels, and the use of school-based surveys were associated with higher rates of sexual violence reporting in some exploratory analyses. The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis highlight the burden of sexual violence against children worldwide based on current available evidence. There is a pressing need to enhance data collection efforts globally, especially in underresearched regions and for boys. PROSPERO CRD42022327090.

Haptic Shared Control Framework with Interaction Force Constraint Based on Control Barrier Function for Teleoperation.

Current teleoperated robotic systems for retinal surgery cannot effectively control subtle tool-to-tissue interaction forces. This limitation may lead to patient injury caused by the surgeon's mistakes. To improve the safety of retinal surgery, this paper proposes a haptic shared control framework for teleoperation based on a force-constrained supervisory controller. The supervisory controller leverages Control Barrier Functions (CBFs) and the interaction model to modify teleoperated inputs when they are deemed unsafe. This method ensures that the interaction forces at the slave robot's end-effector remain within the safe range without the robot's dynamic model and the safety margin. Additionally, the master robot provides haptic feedback to enhance the surgeon's situational awareness during surgery, reducing the risk of misjudgment. Finally, simulated membrane peeling experiments are conducted in a controlled intraocular surgical environment using a teleoperated robotic system controlled by a non-expert. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed control framework significantly reduces the rate of force constraint violation.

Strategi Penanganan Kasus Pelecehan pada Dinas Pemberdayaan Perempuan dan Perlindungan Anak (DP3A) di Kota Pekanbaru

This research aims to analyze and explain how the strategy in handling cases of harassment carried out by DP3A and explain what are the obstacles in overcoming this case at DP3A in Pekanbaru. Harassment cases are serious problems that require special attention in Pekanbaru City. The problem in this case is the high rate of violence against women and children that occurs, requiring the government to respond by providing protection to women and children as victims of violence. Through a Descriptive approach and literature study, this research analyzes in depth the strategy of handling sexual harassment cases implemented by DP3A. By referring to the strategy stage model according to Andrew (2011), this study identifies the obstacles faced at each stage, from formulation to assessment. The results show that although significant efforts have been made, there are still several aspects that need to be improved, such as community service, case management, as well as handling social stigma and limited resources. These findings are expected to be valuable input for DP3A in developing more effective strategies in protecting victims of sexual harassment. Analysis of the case management indicators shows that although there are some good practices, there are still gaps in terms of community education.

Uncertainty Optimization of Industrial Production Operations Considering the Stochastic Performance of Control Loops

Process optimization is a highly successful method for achieving optimal efficiency in industrial production. The conventional optimization approach presupposes that the operational parameters should align with the optimization settings. However, it fails to consider that, influenced by the stochastic performance of the control loops, the operating parameters may deviate from the optimal operating settings. Consequently, this results in the violation of constraints in the optimization results and affects production safety. Therefore, this paper proposes an uncertainty optimization method that considers the stochastic performance of control loops to accurately determine the optimal operational performance that can be practically achieved in industrial production. Firstly, a multi-optimization variational mode decomposition strategy is developed to precisely extract the smooth random and trend terms of the control loop output data. Secondly, the random grouping smooths out the random terms and accurately characterizes the uncertainty associated with these terms. Subsequently, a moment uncertainty set with mild mean-zero net condition is then defined to construct an improved distribution robust optimization model considering the stochastic performance of control loops. Finally, the validation of the proposed optimization method in the actual hydrocracking process shows that the optimization error of the proposed method is reduced by more than 10%, and the constraint violation rate is reduced by 14%, which fully proves the effectiveness and applicability of the method.

The Impact of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault on Family Dynamics and Child Development: A Comprehensive Review.

This review synthesizes current research on domestic violence and sexual assault, focusing on their short-term and long-term effects on family dynamics, particularly on the development and well-being of children and adolescents. The article employs a curated body of literature, including surveys, reviews, program evaluations, and international health reports, to elucidate the direct and collateral damage caused by such trauma within families. The review critically examines the intersecting consequences of abuse, including immediate psychological distress and long-term socio-economic and educational disruptions for affected youths. Additionally, the review examines structural impediments and cultural intricacies that shape reporting practices and access to support services. The role of civil legal aid and victim advocacy in promoting survivor safety and justice is discussed, supported by findings from service evaluation studies. The review also addresses the exacerbating effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on domestic violence rates and service provision, noting increased occurrences of domestic abuse and decreased pursuit of urgent care and support, highlighting research conducted from the pandemic's start through 2023. Emergent studies reveal a rise in domestic abuse occurrences and a decline in urgent care and support pursuit, emphasizing the need for adapted intervention strategies. The review offers evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, healthcare providers, and community organizations, stressing the necessity of persistent and collaborative efforts to address and prevent domestic violence. The ultimate goal is to advocate for a stronger international response to repair harm and prevent future occurrences, ensuring a safer environment for all family members, particularly children and adolescents.

Examining changes in fatal violence against women after bail reform in New Jersey.

Introduction Cash bail reforms that end pretrial detention due to the inability to afford bail have been highly debated across the US. A major concern cited by bail reform opponents is that reducing pretrial detention will increase community violence, particularly violence against women. The objective of this study was to assess if New Jersey's cash bail reform was associated with changes in rates of fatal violence against women. Methods This study used synthetic control methods to evaluate the impact of bail reform on rates of fatal violence against women in New Jersey compared with a weighted combination of 21 control states with no bail reform from 2015-2019. Outcome data were from the National Violent Death Reporting System and included intimate partner violence (IPV)-related homicides, pregnancy-associated homicides, and overall homicides of adult women. Outcomes were measured for all adult women and within racialized groups. Analyses were performed in 2024. Results There were no significant changes in rates of IPV-related homicide (average treatment effect on the treated [ATT], -0.11 deaths per 100,000 women, p-value=0.1), pregnancy-associated homicide (0.28 deaths per 100,000 births, p=0.8), and overall homicide (-0.03 deaths per 100,000, p=0.1) during the post-policy period. There were also no significant changes within racialized groups. Conclusion Violence against women and mass incarceration are urgent and interconnected public health crises. These findings demonstrate the potential for policies to reduce the number of people incarcerated pretrial without increasing fatal violence against women. Addressing these public health crises requires holistic structural interventions, like housing and economic support, that reduce violence without criminalization.

The impact of self-esteem and interpersonal relationships on the processing of verbal violence: Evidence from ERPs.

The perception of verbal violence is a critical component in the chain of its negative impacts. This study utilized event-related potentials (ERPs) to explore the impact of self-esteem and interpersonal relationships on the processing of verbal violence. Seventy-three participants completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and a verbal violence ERP task. Stimuli depicting verbal violence were presented as violent words within a fixed sentence structure. The interpersonal relationships, represented by the positions of the subjects in the sentences, suggested different sources of verbal violence, including friends and strangers. Participants were asked to evaluate their feelings regarding the verbal violence after each sentence presentation. Behavioral results indicated that self-esteem and interpersonal relationships influenced the ratings of verbal violence. ERP results showed that as self-esteem scores increased, the EPN amplitude for verbal violence from friends was significantly enhanced, while the EPN for verbal violence from strangers remained unaffected. Self-esteem and interpersonal relationships also significantly influenced the LPC amplitude for verbal violence. These findings provide preliminary evidence that self-esteem and interpersonal relationships jointly influence the processing of verbal violence. Future research should continue to examine the specific effects of interpersonal relationships and explore other factors that may modulate the perception of verbal violence.

A systematic review of historic neighborhood redlining and contemporary health outcomes

Historic redlining grades that were assigned to US neighborhoods based largely on minority race or ethnicity by the Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) during the 1930s have been linked with adverse health outcomes among neighborhood residents. This review aimed to summarize the quantitative evidence, so we could determine if any findings are replicated and otherwise identify research gaps. Systematic review. We conducted a systematic review by searching the PubMed® MEDLINE database for observational studies that reported on health outcomes among people who resided in neighborhoods that were assigned HOLC grades. We assessed quality by allocating points based on whether studies reported the sample size or count of people affected by outcomes (yes=1 point, no=2 points), and whether unadjusted magnitudes of association were reported alongside adjusted estimates (yes=1 point, no=2 points). The sum score was used to classify each study as high (2 points), average (3 points) or low quality (4 points). Among the 89 articles identified, 32 met inclusion criteria; 15 were deemed high-quality. The most frequently studied health conditions in order of descending frequency were: i) injury or violence (n=8), ii) cancer (n=7), iii) cardiometabolic (n=6), iv) perinatal (n=5), v) asthma (n=2). People who lived in areas with less desirable HOLC grades tended to suffer higher than expected rates of injury or violence, asthma, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and some cardiometabolic disorders; associations with cancer were mostly null. Methodological differences limited opportunities for direct comparison across studies, and there was significant heterogeneity among the few estimates that were generally comparable. While robust data are lacking, the limited existing evidence supports a possible association between historically redlined areas and heightened risk of adverse health outcomes. Why this association may exist remains unknown.