Abstract:
Objectives This study was performed to examine the
potential contributions of sociocultural activities to
reduce risks of death by homicide.
Methods This study was designed as a case control
study. Relatives of 90 adult homicide victims in Dar es
Salaam Region, Tanzania, in 2005 were interviewed. As
controls, 211 participants matched for sex and 5-year
age group were randomly selected from the same region
and interviewed regarding the same contents.
Results Bivariate analysis revealed significant
differences between victims and controls regarding
educational status, occupation, family structure, frequent
heavy drinking, hard drug use and religious attendance.
Conditional logistic regression analysis indicated that the
following factors were significantly related to not
becoming victims of homicide: being in employment
(unskilled labour: OR=0.04, skilled labour: OR=0.07,
others: OR=0.04), higher educational status (OR=0.02),
residence in Dar es Salaam after becoming an adult
(compared with those who have resided in Dar es
Salaam since birth: OR=3.95), living with another
person (OR=0.07), not drinking alcohol frequently
(OR=0.15) and frequent religious service attendance
(OR=0.12).
Conclusions Frequent religious service attendance,
living in the same place for a long time and living with
another person were shown to be factors that contribute
to preventing death by homicide, regardless of place of
residence and neighbourhood environment. Existing nonstructural
community resources and social cohesive
networks strengthen individual and community resilience
against violence.
