title: Risk behavior and perception among youths residing in urban public housing developments.
abstract: The scientific literature and popular media suggest that variations in housing structure and neighborhood influence risk behaviors among youths living in low-income urban communities. To explore the importance of these factors on early sexual intercourse, substance use, drug trafficking, and school truancy, data from a community-based survey, conducted in six public housing developments in a major eastern metropolis, were analyzed. The survey group consisted of 300 youths aged 9 through 15 years. There were minimal differences in three potential mediators of risk behaviors (e.g., perceived social support, parenting style, and perceived risk exposure) and in self-reported adolescent risk behaviors among youths residing in different housing developments and between youths residing in high-rise and in low-rise structures. These findings do not support the hypothesis that within a risk-dense low-income environment, variations in building structure or in neighborhood are associated with differences in adolescent risk behaviors.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Romer
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ricardo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kaljee