Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Health Services
Advisor
Vasileios Margaritis
Abstract
Violence among adolescents and young adults is a major public health concern in the United States, but it disproportionally affects African Americans. This racial disparity is especially concerning in New Orleans, Louisiana, where fatal and nonfatal shootings have been consistent since 2010 for young African American men. Also, Louisiana ranks third in the nation in prevalence of attention–deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children. African Americans in New Orleans have lived in areas known to have greater concentrations of lead in the soil, and African American children and their parents have a lower level of awareness of lead toxicity. The purpose of this study was to investigate an association between lead toxicity, ADHD, and attitudes towards gun violence among young African American men in New Orleans. The health belief model provided the theoretical framework for this study. Between June 13, 2021, and August 1, 2021, 142 participants were recruited using an online platform and the instrument used was The Attitudes Towards Violence Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Mann Whitney U, binary logistic regression, simple linear regression, and multiple linear regression. The findings indicated a significant association between ADHD and attitudes towards gun violence. The results of this study have implications for positive social change because they can lead to interventions that focus on addressing ADHD symptoms early in childhood, that may prove effective in preventing or reducing gun violence among young African American men in New Orleans.
Recommended Citation
Hooker-McIntosh, Gwendolyn, "Lead Toxicity, Attention–Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Gun Violence Among Young African American Men" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13429.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13429
