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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Kathryn E. (Beth) Moracco, PhD, MPH, Department of Maternal and Child Health, and Injury Prevention Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#7445, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7445, 919-843-4903, moracco@email.unc.edu, Sandra L. Martin, PhD, Dept of Maternal & Child Health, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, CB#7400, 401 Rosenau Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400, and Kelly K. Kline, MPH, Dept. of Epidemiology and UNC Injury Prevention Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 7505, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7505.
Objectives: This study uses data from the National Against Women Survey (NVAWS) to: 1) assess how concerns about personal safety are influenced by experiences with violence; and 2) to determine how choices of personal protection strategies, including carrying firearms, other weapons, chemical sprays, whistles, and cell phones, are predicted by NVAWS respondents’ sociodemographic characteristics; prior experiences as victims of violence; and level of concern about their personal safety. Methods: We used bivariate analyses to examine the interrelationships among key study variables. Multivariate techniques (logistic and linear regression analyses) were employed to examine the relative effects of multiple predictors of the various self-protective methods. Results: Women (62.4%) were more likely than men (50.6%) to report that they were very or somewhat concerned about their personal safety. Women (32.0%) were also more likely than men (26.3%) to report that they carried something to defend themselves or alert others. Among those who reported techniques, choices of self-protective strategies varied by gender, with women more likely than men to report carrying noisemakers (4.9% vs. 2.0%) and sprays (9.4% vs. 1.0%), and men more likely than women to report carrying guns (41.2% vs. 2.4%), knives or sharp objects (18.9% vs. 2.2%), and sticks or bats (9.4% vs. 1.0). Strategies also varied by sociodemographic characteristics and victimization experiences. Conclusions: Different factors influence selection of self-protection strategies for men and women. The potential exists for both women and men to be targeted for, and to select, strategies that do not address their concerns.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the learner will be able to
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.