141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

289088
Violence in america: Causes and solutions

Monday, November 4, 2013 : 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM

David Satcher, MD, PhD , Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
Violence in America impacts virtually all groups, but at different rates. Among African Americans and American Indians, violence is a major cause of death between the ages of 15-24. These problems were exacerbated during certain periods in our history, such as the 80's and early 90's. Suicide tends to be more common among Native Americans, including Native American girls and women.

In 2000, following the Columbine shootings, both the President and Congress requested the Surgeon General develop a report on youth violence prevention. That report examined most of the studies and programs conducted in an attempt to reduce, and ultimately prevent, violence, including homicide. In the 90's, there was a decline in homicides and violence among young people between the ages of 15-24, among all races. Contrary to popular opinions, when it came to violent crime, all groups were involved with violent crime, at an almost equal rate.

The programs that have been shown to be somewhat effective at reducing homicides among different groups in America involve targeting the social circumstances in which children develop, providing them with the hope that they can change their circumstances and overcome barriers, including barriers to staying in school and pursuing an education. Clearly, for children who drop out of school, there's a dramatic increase in violence and homicide, as well as incarceration.

This presentation will help enlighten us about the issues related to violence in America, demonstrate ways we can target such violence, and introduce programs that have been shown to be effective.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Describe the impact of self-directed and interpersonal violence on different groups in America by age, race, and socioeconomic status. Discuss the major findings of the Surgeons General Reports on Youth Violence Prevention and recommendations for response. Examine programs that have been successful in reducing violence among different groups in America.

Keywords: Prevention, Violence Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have served as director of the CDC and Surgeon General of the United States. During my tenure as Surgeon General, I focused on violence prevention, mental health and several other important public health issues. I currently serve as the director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, where we specialize in understanding and intervening to promote health equity through policy, research and providing focused training and mentorship to emerging public health leaders.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.