TY - JOUR
T1 - Epidemiology of Pediatric Firearm Injuries in the United States
T2 - The Progression of Gunshot Injury Rates Through the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic
AU - Welbeck, Arakua
AU - Torres-Izquierdo, Beltran
AU - Mittal, Mehul M.
AU - Momtaz, David
AU - Gonuguntla, Rishi
AU - Guisse, Ndéye
AU - Hu, Jesse
AU - Pereira, Daniel E.
AU - Hosseinzadeh, Pooya
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.
PY - 2024/10/1
Y1 - 2024/10/1
N2 - Objectives: Ballistic injuries among pediatric populations have become a public health crisis in the United States. The surge in firearm injuries among children has outpaced other causes of death. This study aims to assess the trend in pediatric gunshot injuries (GSIs) over the last decade and investigate the impact, if any, of the pandemic on GSIs statistics. Methods: A comprehensive retrospective analysis was conducted using a federated, real-Time national database. A total of 15,267,921 children without GSIs and 6261 children with GSIs between 2017 and 2023 were identified. The study evaluated the incidence and annual proportions of GSIs among different demographics. In addition, the incidence proportions per 100,000 for accidental, nonaccidental, fracture-related, and fatal GSIs were analyzed. Results: The incidence proportions per 100,000 for GSIs, accidental GSIs, nonaccidental GSIs, fatal GSIs, wheelchair-bound cases, and fracture-related GSIs increased significantly from 2017 to 2023, going from 9.7 to 22.8 (Relative Risk: 2.342, 95% CI: 2.041, 2.687, P < 0.001). The overall increase was mostly a result of accidental GSI when compared with nonaccidental (incidence proportion 25.8 vs 2.1; P < 0.001) in 2021 at the height of the pandemic. In patients with an accidental GSI, the incidence proportion per 100k between 2017 and 2023 increased from 8.81 to 21.11 (Relative Risk: 2.397, 95% CI: 2.076, 2.768, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The study supports the shift in the leading cause of death among children from motor vehicle accidents to GSIs, with the continued rise in rates despite the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Accidental injuries constituted the majority of GSIs, indicating the need for enhanced gun safety measures, including requirements for gun storage, keeping firearms locked and unloaded, requiring child supervision in homes with guns, and enforcing stricter punishments as penalties. Comprehensive efforts are required to address this public health crisis. Pediatricians play a vital role in counseling and educating families on firearm safety. Level of Evidence: Level III.
AB - Objectives: Ballistic injuries among pediatric populations have become a public health crisis in the United States. The surge in firearm injuries among children has outpaced other causes of death. This study aims to assess the trend in pediatric gunshot injuries (GSIs) over the last decade and investigate the impact, if any, of the pandemic on GSIs statistics. Methods: A comprehensive retrospective analysis was conducted using a federated, real-Time national database. A total of 15,267,921 children without GSIs and 6261 children with GSIs between 2017 and 2023 were identified. The study evaluated the incidence and annual proportions of GSIs among different demographics. In addition, the incidence proportions per 100,000 for accidental, nonaccidental, fracture-related, and fatal GSIs were analyzed. Results: The incidence proportions per 100,000 for GSIs, accidental GSIs, nonaccidental GSIs, fatal GSIs, wheelchair-bound cases, and fracture-related GSIs increased significantly from 2017 to 2023, going from 9.7 to 22.8 (Relative Risk: 2.342, 95% CI: 2.041, 2.687, P < 0.001). The overall increase was mostly a result of accidental GSI when compared with nonaccidental (incidence proportion 25.8 vs 2.1; P < 0.001) in 2021 at the height of the pandemic. In patients with an accidental GSI, the incidence proportion per 100k between 2017 and 2023 increased from 8.81 to 21.11 (Relative Risk: 2.397, 95% CI: 2.076, 2.768, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The study supports the shift in the leading cause of death among children from motor vehicle accidents to GSIs, with the continued rise in rates despite the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Accidental injuries constituted the majority of GSIs, indicating the need for enhanced gun safety measures, including requirements for gun storage, keeping firearms locked and unloaded, requiring child supervision in homes with guns, and enforcing stricter punishments as penalties. Comprehensive efforts are required to address this public health crisis. Pediatricians play a vital role in counseling and educating families on firearm safety. Level of Evidence: Level III.
KW - firearm injury
KW - gunshot injury
KW - gunshot wound
KW - pediatric non accidental trauma
KW - violence prevention
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85203872090&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/BPO.0000000000002742
DO - 10.1097/BPO.0000000000002742
M3 - Article
C2 - 38853750
AN - SCOPUS:85203872090
SN - 0271-6798
VL - 44
SP - 545
EP - 554
JO - Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics
JF - Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics
IS - 9
ER -