1. After reading the article by Thomas et al., comment on where your research, or your research interests, fit into the generational framework for health disparities research. If your work is 1rst or 2nd generation, comment on how your work could lead in the future to 3rd or 4th generation work. If your work is 3rd or 4th generation, comment on what 1rst and 2nd generation work was necessary as a foundation for your current work (or current interests).
The gun violence research that I have participated in has largely been 1st generation, in that we were looking to describe mortality rates among those injured by gun violence and then to look for disparities. The next steps would be further look into ecologic and narrative qualitative research to discover reasons for existing disparities (2nd generation research).
2. The barbershop hypertension intervention, while essentially a clinical services intervention operating at either the fence or safety-net level as described by Jones, has some engagement with the social determinants of health. What types of clinical interventions can you think of in your area of research that could similarly bridge levels of the socioecological model?
I think engaging the community in violence prevention efforts is critical for any clinical intervention. The best interventions to reduce violence will undoubtedly come from the community and those whose lived experience gives them invaluable expertise. In addition, since the cause of gun violence is likely multifactorial, reaching out to colleagues in other disciplines will be necessary to craft success interventions.