Neighborhood Safety and Concern about Firearm Victimization among Asian Americans

Concern about firearm victimization is an important but understudied dimension of safety and well-being among Asian Americans. This study examined sociodemographic and health-related factors associated with concern about firearm victimization and assessed whether neighborhood safety and subethnic differences shape this concern. Data were drawn from the 2021-2022 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). The dependent variable was concern about firearm victimization. The independent variable was perceived neighborhood safety. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine associations between neighborhood safety and concern about firearm victimization while adjusting for socio-demographic and health-related factors. Interaction terms were included to assess whether associations differed across Asian subethnic groups. Among 7,085 Asian American adults, concern about firearm victimization varied by socio-demographic and contextual characteristics. Individuals who perceived their neighborhood as unsafe had more than twice the odds of being concerned about firearm victimization compared to those who perceived their neighborhood as safe (AOR = 2.18, p < 0.001). Females (AOR = 1.18, p = 0.044) and part-time workers (AOR = 1.49, p = 0.040) were more likely to report concern, whereas individuals aged 85 and older (AOR = 0.43, p = 0.013), never-married adults (AOR = 0.74, p = 0.006), those living in rural areas (AOR = 0.54, p = 0.004), and those with higher income (≥ 300% FPL; AOR = 0.74, p = 0.035) had lower odds. Limited English proficiency was strongly associated with higher concern (AOR = 2.80, p < 0.001). Subethnic differences were observed, with Japanese and Vietnamese adults reporting lower odds of concern compared to Chinese adults. Interaction analysis indicated that the association between neighborhood safety and firearm concern differed across subethnic groups, with a significant interaction for Japanese adults (β=-0.42, p = 0.007). Perceived neighborhood safety was strongly associated with concern about firearm victimization among Asian Americans, and this relationship varied across subethnic groups. These findings highlight how contextual safety perceptions and within-group heterogeneity shape firearm-related fear, underscoring the need for culturally informed approaches to community safety and violence prevention.