Using Social Indicators to Describe Neighborhood-Level Disparities in Adolescent Health in Baltimore City Circa 2017

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Urban Sociology
• Health Disparities Research

Background:

• Neighborhoods significantly impact adolescent health outcomes.
• Baltimore's hypersegregation and growing Latino population may exacerbate health disparities.
• Understanding specific needs among minoritized adolescents is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare adolescent health disparities across Baltimore neighborhoods using social indicators.
• To quantify differences in needs among white, Black, and Latino adolescents.
• To inform targeted interventions for positive youth development.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of predominantly white, Black, and Latino neighborhoods in Baltimore (circa 2017).
• Utilized six key indicators: teen birth rate, high school achievement, poverty, health insurance, youth mortality, and lead paint violations.
• Developed a composite adolescent deprivation index and calculated absolute and relative disparities.

Main Results:

• Black and Latino neighborhoods exhibited similar adolescent deprivation relative to white neighborhoods.
• Latino neighborhoods reported the highest teen birth rates and lack of health insurance.
• Black neighborhoods faced the lowest educational achievement and highest rates of poverty, youth mortality, and lead paint violations.

Conclusions:

• Overall social deprivation is comparable across Baltimore's communities of color.
• Black adolescents experience greater physical deprivation and youth mortality, affecting within-group bonding.
• Latino adolescents face limited health and social resources, hindering between-group bridging.