Neighborhood effects and risk-taking behavior among South African adolescents and young adults

This paper examines the influence of neighborhood characteristics on the alcohol use and sexual risk-taking behaviors of South African young people. While considerable research has already been conducted on this topic, most studies have been conducted in the United States, with its particular social and economic context. To determine if theories of neighborhood influence apply beyond the US case, additional research must examine neighborhood dynamics in different contexts. South Africa, a nation still influenced by its history of institutionalized racism, provides an interesting comparative case. Factors like concentrated poverty and social disorganization—central to many theories of neighborhood effects—may be less significant in South Africa than in the US. For example, neighborhoods in South Africa are much less segregated on the basis of socioeconomic status than in the US, and violent crime—a key indicator of social disorganization—presents a very real threat to both privileged Whites and poor Blacks in South Africa regardless of neighborhood. Consequently, neighborhood influences on young people's risky behaviors may not be evident in South Africa or may have different dynamics than they do in the US. We examine the influence of an especially rich set of neighborhood measures, including environmental conditions and responses from neighborhood residents about their experiences with crime and perceptions of collective efficacy, on risk-taking behaviors among South African youth and examine whether neighborhood characteristics influence males and females differently. This empirical test in a non-US context will help to refine existing theories and inform future research, policies, and programs.