@article{ref1,
title="People and places: relocating to neighborhoods with better economic and social conditions is associated with less risky drug/alcohol network characteristics among African American adults in Atlanta, GA",
journal="Drug and alcohol dependence",
year="2015",
author="Linton, Sabriya L. and Cooper, Hannah L. F. and Luo, Ruiyan and Karnes, Conny and Renneker, Kristen and Haley, Danielle F. and Hunter-Jones, Josalin and Ross, Zev and Bonney, Loida E. and Rothenberg, Richard",
volume="160",
number="",
pages="30-41",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Few studies assess whether place characteristics are associated with social network characteristics that create vulnerability to substance use. <br><br>METHODS: This longitudinal study analyzed 7 waves of data (2009-2014) from a predominantly substance-using cohort of 172 African American adults relocated from public housing complexes in Atlanta, GA, to determine whether post-relocation changes in exposure to neighborhood conditions were associated with four network characteristics related to substance use: number of social network members who used illicit drugs or alcohol in excess in the past six months (&quot;drug/alcohol network&quot;), drug/alcohol network stability, and turnover into and out of drug/alcohol networks. Individual- and network-level characteristics were captured via survey and administrative data were used to describe census tracts where participants lived. Multilevel models were used to assess relationships of census tract-level characteristics to network outcomes over time. <br><br>RESULTS: On average, participants relocated to census tracts that had less economic disadvantage, social disorder, and renter-occupied housing. Post-relocation reductions in exposure to economic disadvantage were associated with fewer drug/alcohol network members and less turnover into drug/alcohol networks. Post-relocation improvements in exposure to multiple census tract-level social conditions and reductions in perceived community violence were associated with fewer drug/alcohol network members, less turnover into drug/alcohol networks, less drug/alcohol network stability, and more turnover out of drug/alcohol networks. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Relocating to neighborhoods with less economic disadvantage and better social conditions may weaken relationships with substance-using individuals.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0376-8716",
doi="10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.11.036",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.11.036"
}