Supporting Gang Violence Prevention Efforts: A Public Health Approach for Nurses
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.
From 2002 to 2006, gangs were responsible for approximately 20% of homicides in the 88 largest United States (US) cities. Many health providers might not think they would see the words “gang violence” and “public health” in the same sentence. However, nurses who