Clustering of homicide with other adverse health outcomes in the Netherlands

Breen, J.A. van; Liem, M.C.A. (2022)

Article / Letter to editor

In this project we examine whether homicide ‘clusters together’ with other adverse health outcomes in the Netherlands, focusing on child mortality, suicide, sexual risk behavior, and substance abuse. We expect moderate-to-strong correlations between homicide and the other adverse health phenomena (hypothesis 1). Further, we expect that these correlations will be reduced when social disorganization is controlled for (hypothesis 2).

The study used population-level data between the years 1996 and 2019, for each of the 40 local regions of the Netherlands. We applied a multilevel correlation procedure to evaluate correlations between homicide and the other adverse health outcomes. Correlations between homicide and the other adverse health outcomes were modest. That is, we found only limited evidence for clustering between homicide and the other adverse health outcomes. The patterns of clustering that did occur, suggested that social disorganization in the region promotes risk-taking behaviors in the population, which ultimately increases rates of homicide, abuse of illegal drugs and births to adolescent parents.

Project materials, syntax and supplementary information can be found on the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/jd5yu/.

• All authors: Breen, J.A. van; Liem, M.C.A.
• Date: 2022-12-01
• Journal: Preventive Medicine Reports
• Volume: 30
• DOI: doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101988