Gangs, Guns and Pills: How youth perceive their community in East Baltimore (WAVE)

The Well-being of Adolescents in Vulnerable Environments is a six-city global study of young people in vulnerable environments with the goal of discovering ways to connect youth to health. The six study sites are Baltimore, Johannesburg, South , Shanghai, Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, and Ibadan. Researchers in each site used qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews, photovoice, community mapping, and focus groups, to collect data from 15 – 19 year olds on how young people view their communities, the health issues they see, and the services and opportunities that exist in their communities.

In Baltimore, findings revealed that youth perceive health to be directly related to their physical and social environments. The physical environment was described as a place in which abandoned buildings, dirt, trash , and rats were the norm. Many youth felt that there were virtually no safe spaces and that violence was something that “you just had to get used to.” The social environment was described primarily as a place where youth have to act on their own, where the parents are often absent, and where other adults and providers are usually not trusted. Females commented on the lack of opportunities they face, and the general lack of support they have for taking care of their own children.

The research points to importance of understanding community level structural and social characteristics in relation to the primary health risks faced by youth in vulnerable environments.