Youth assets, neighborhood characteristics, and seatbelt use by race: The Youth Asset Study (YAS)

The YAS, a 5-wave longitudinal study followed 1111 youth/parent pairs to determine the impact of youth assets, demographics, and community concerns on youth risk behaviors, including seatbelt use. We explored prospective relationships among youth assets, race/ethnicity, federal poverty level and seatbelt use among 1001 youth. Data were analyzed using marginal logistic regression. The sample was: 53% female; Mean age=14.4 years (SD=1.6); 26% black, 31% Hispanic, and 43% white; 50% with income <$5,000; and 69% in two-parent families. Seventeen assets were summed and divided at the median to form a high vs. low asset variable. Assets at Waves 3-4 and neighborhood factors at Wave 1 predicted outcomes at Waves 4-5 while controlling for gender, family structure, parental income, parental education, crowded house, age, and wealth. Assets were significantly associated with seatbelt use while riding or driving in the car for blacks and whites but not Hispanics. Among Hispanics: high psychological sense of community was significantly associated with seatbelt use while driving (OR=1.76) and high neighborhood support was significantly related to no seatbelt use while riding (OR=0.44). Among blacks, low neighborhood concerns related to crime were significantly associated with seatbelt use while riding (OR=1.87). Among whites, high neighborhood support was significantly related to no seatbelt use while riding (OR=0.64). Having a high number of assets was positively related to seatbelt use (while riding or driving) in blacks and whites but not Hispanics. Neighborhood factors and youth assets might have an impact on seatbelt use although the results varied among three racial groups.