While environmental strategies for health promotion have been successful in decreasing the incidence of infectious diseases and injuries, the environmental approach has not been adapted to decrease or prevent violence and AOD exposure.
The Drug Investigations, Violence, and Environmental Studies (DIVE) Laboratory seeks to provide contextual insight on violence and alcohol and other drug (VAOD) exposure among Baltimore City youth. We lay the groundwork and provide our partners with the evidence needed for successful community action targeted at environmental features within communities using a classic epidemiologic approach. We clarify the environmental contexts in which youth live and experience violence and AOD exposure, and provide insight on environmental factors which promote or sustain elevated levels of toxic social exposures within neighborhoods.