Association between Racial Residential Segregation and COVID-19 Mortality

This study investigates the impact of racial residential segregation on COVID-19 mortality during the first year of the US epidemic. Data comes from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation\u27s and the University of Wisconsin\u27s joint county health rankings project. The observation includes a record of 8,670,781 individuals in 1488 counties. We regressed COVID-19 deaths, using hierarchical logistic regression models, on individual and county-level predictors. We found that as racial residential segregation increased, mortality rates increased. Controlling for segregation, Blacks and Asians had a greater risk of mortality, while Hispanics and other racial groups had a lower risk of mortality, compared to Whites. The impact of racial residential segregation on COVID-19 mortality did not vary by racial group

Social Support Networks and the Mental Health of Runaway and Homeless Youth

In response to growing concerns about the rising number of runaway and homeless youth (RHY) in the U.S., researchers have sought to improve the scientific understanding of health and mental health needs, as well as the social resources available to these youths. In this paper, we examine the relationship between personal support network resources and the mental health status of a sample of RHY (N = 693) surveyed in metro-Atlanta, Georgia. The results suggest that having more supportive network ties reduces the risk of youth experiencing significant symptoms of a severe mental illness. We also find that older youth and youth who have been homeless for six months or longer have fewer personal support network resources. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our findings for future research and services for this exceptionally vulnerable population

Correspondence to:

This is an electronic version of an article published in Addiction: Complete citation information for the final version of the paper, as published in the print edition of Addiction, is available on the Blackwell Synergy online delivery service, accessible via the journal’s Web site a

Atlanta Youth Count! 2015: Homeless Youth Count and Needs Assessment

In early 2015, researchers, community advocates, service providers, and students from across metro Atlanta joined together to plan and conduct the Atlanta Youth Count and Needs Assessment (AYCNA). The goals of the project were to: 1) provide metro-Atlanta service providers, policymakers, and youth advocates practical information on the size, nature, and needs of the homeless, precariously housed, and runaway youth in our community; 2) collect information that can be used to develop and refine policies, programs, and interventions to help these youth in our community; and 3) encourage a community-wide dialogue about the needs and social determinants of youth homelessness. This document is the official public report and provides an overview of the study methodology and key findings, including the research team’s official estimates of the number of homeless youth in metro Atlanta as well as a description of key characteristics of the population derived from the survey data collected. Members of the research team are continuing to analyze and use the data to improve public and policymakers’ understanding of youth homelessness and to guide community-efforts to improve services for these young people

Occupational sex and race segregation from 1940 to 1990: Convergence or divergence.

Occupational sex and race segregation from 1940 to 1990: Convergence or divergence

Examining Neighborhood Disadvantage and Racial Disparities in Body Mass Index Trajectories

Racial disparities in obesity among women in the United States are substantial but the causes of these disparities are poorly understood. We examined changes in body mass index (BMI) trajectories for Black and White women as a function of neighborhood disadvantage and racial composition of the neighborhoods within which respondents are clustered. Using four waves of the Americans’ Changing Lives (ACL) survey, we estimated multilevel models predicting BMI trajectories over a 16-year period. Even after controlling for individual-level socio-demographics, risk and protective factors, and baseline neighborhood disadvantage and racial composition, substantial racial disparities in BMI persisted at each time point, and widened over time (p\u3c0.05). Baseline neighborhood disadvantage is associated with BMI and marginally reduces racial disparities in BMI, but it does not predict BMI changes over time. However, without neighborhood-level variables, the BMI trajectory model is misspecified, highlighting the importance of including community factors in future research