307856
Does formal community organization buffer the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and distress among Latinos?: Examining the role of acculturation
To address this gap data from the Chicago Adult Community Health Study (N=801) was used. A descriptive analysis was conducted using GIS mapping. SEM was then employed to test the mediating effect of formal organizations on the relationship between disadvantage and distress. Finally a multi-group analysis was conducted to test the moderating effect of acculturation status.
The overall model demonstrated good model fit (X2= 888.88(413), RMSEA= .04, CFI = .95 TLI= .94). The results indicated that the density of community centers (b(SE)= -.50(.21), p<.05) and block watches (b(SE)= -.17(.08), p<.05) mediated the relationship between disadvantage and distress and that the direct and indirect pathways were moderated by acculturation status. The findings indicated that the density of community centers and block watches buffer the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and distress but only for bi-cultural Latinos.
Learning Areas:
Diversity and culturePublic health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Demonstrate the potential protective effect of community organizations in populations with elevated risk of experiencing distress as a result of chronic stressors present in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Compare the buffering effect of community organization in Latino populations with differing levels of acculturation.
Keyword(s): Latinos, Community Development
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: This research is part of my doctoral dissertation. I have completed the investigation while working at the Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, a NIH funded center of excellence, and under the direction of nationally renowned scholars in the field of health disparities research. I will be defending this dissertation in April 2014 and will be joining the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh as an assistant professor of social work in the Fall of 2014.
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.