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Qualitative exploration into the risk, experiences, and outcomes of victims of firearm injury is imperative to informing not only further research, but prevention and intervention strategies. The purpose of this study was to explore prior violent exposures, risks, recovery, supportive services, outcomes, and views of firearms and violence among survivors of firearm assaults and unintentional injuries. Adults treated at a level 1 trauma center in Seattle, WA, for assault and unintentional firearm injuries were interviewed utilizing a semistructured instrument. Interview responses were coded to identify common themes and representative quotes are reported. Sixteen participants were interviewed. Notable themes included the following: (a) prior violent exposures were experienced by half of survivors, mostly through community violence; (b) risk for firearm injury was felt to be related to general societal violence, unsafe communities, and firearm practices; (c) important aspects of recovery included family/social support, mental health care and financial support services; (d) notable outcomes included psychological problems such as PTSD and anxiety, changes in relationships, and developing a new sense of purpose or mission in life; (e) generally negative views toward firearms, supporting restricted access and firearm safety practices; (f) acknowledgement of the complexity of firearm violence in society with prevention geared toward equitable education, economic opportunities and safety net programs to reduce community violence; and (g) disappointment in the criminal justice system. These findings demonstrate the varied experiences, needs, and outcomes after injury, but highlight the significance of community and societal violence, and need for improved mental health services. Integration of mental health services and victim assistance programs into trauma centers and hospital-based violence intervention programs is imperative for all survivors. Encouraging survivors to engage in new aspirations after injury can be empowering, and there is an unmet need for victim support and advocacy within the criminal justice system.

Firearm injury is a leading and preventable cause of death for youth in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web-based injury statistics query and reporting system was queried to examine changes in firearm injury mortality among youth aged 0 to 19 from 2001 to 2019. This includes assessment of overall mortality rates, mortality rates based on intent and race/ethnicity, and the proportion of deaths due to homicide, suicide, and unintentional shootings among different age groups. Regression analysis was used to identify significant differences in mortality rate over time between Black and White youth. Deaths due to firearm injury were compared with deaths due to motor vehicle traffic collisions. In 2019, firearm injuries surpassed motor vehicle collisions to become the leading cause of death for youth aged 0-19 years in the United States, after excluding deaths due to prematurity and congenital anomalies. Homicide is the most common intent across all age groups, but suicide represents a large proportion of firearm deaths in 10- to 19-year-old youth. In 2019, Black youth had a firearm mortality rate 4.3 times higher than that of White youth and a firearm homicide rate over 14 times higher than that of White youth. For each additional year after 2013, the mortality rate for Black youth increased by 0.55 deaths per 100 000 compared with White youth (time by race interaction effect P < .0001). These data indicate the growing burden of firearm injuries on child mortality and widening racial inequities with Black youth disproportionately affected by firearm violence. This public health crisis demands physician advocacy to reduce these preventable deaths among youth.

This cross-sectional study uses data from the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System to assess the annual incidence of hospitalization for nonfatal firearm-related injuries in New York overall and by sex, race/ethnicity, county of residence, and calendar year from 2005 to 2016., Key Points Question What was the annual incidence of hospitalization for nonfatal firearm-related injuries in New York from 2005 to 2016? Findings In this cross-sectional study of 31 060 patients with 35 059 hospital encounters for nonfatal firearm-related injuries in New York from 2005 to 2016, the overall annual incidence of hospitalization for nonfatal firearm-related injuries was 18.4 per 100 000 population. The annual incidence of these injuries in the state decreased during the study period, but this trend was not observed in all counties. Meaning These findings may be useful for policy makers and public health officials as they consider resource allocation for trauma systems and injury prevention programs., Importance In the US, approximately 40 000 people die due to firearm-related injuries annually. However, nonfatal firearm-related injuries are less precisely tracked. Objectives To assess the annual incidence of hospitalization for nonfatal firearm-related injuries in New York and to compare the annual incidence by sex, race/ethnicity, county of residence, and calendar years. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cross-sectional study used data from the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System for patients aged 15 years or older who presented to an emergency department in New York with nonfatal firearm-related injuries from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2016. Data were analyzed from January 15, 2019, to April 21, 2021. Exposure A nonfatal firearm-related injury, defined by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification and International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Main Outcomes and Measures The annual incidence of nonfatal firearm-related injuries was calculated by determining the number of patients with a nonfatal firearm-related injury each year divided by the total population of New York. Results The study included 31 060 unique patients with 35 059 hospital encounters for nonfatal firearm-related injuries. The mean (SD) age at admission was 28.5 (11.9) years; most patients were male (90.6%) and non-Hispanic Black individuals (62.0%). The overall annual incidence was 18.4 per 100 000 population. Although decreasing trends of annual incidence were observed across the state during the study period, this trend was not present in all 62 counties, with 32 counties (51.6%) having an increase in the incidence of injuries between 2005 and 2010 and 29 (46.8%) having an increase in the incidence of injuries between 2010 and 2015. In 19 of the 30 counties (63.3%) that had a decrease in incidence in earlier years, the incidence increased in later years. Conclusions and Relevance The annual incidence of hospitalization for nonfatal firearm-related injuries in New York during the study period was 18.4 per 100 000 population. Reliable tracking of nonfatal firearm-related injury data may be useful for policy makers, hospital systems, community organizers, and public health officials as they consider resource allocation for trauma systems and injury prevention programs.

Background and Objectives Firearm injury is a leading cause of mortality for US youth. For every youth who dies from a firearm injury, at least 4 more survive. Little is known about the mental health consequences of non-fatal firearm injury in youth. Our objective was to quantify new mental health diagnoses after nonfatal firearm injury. Methods MarketScan Medicaid and commercial data were used to identify youth age 0 to 17 years with an initial encounter for a nonfatal firearm injury in 2016 to 2017. The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes determined the presence of mental health conditions in the 12 months preinjury, during the index encounter, and in the 12 months postinjury. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors associated with new mental health diagnoses during the 12 months postinjury. Results About 2178 patients (1769 Medicaid, 409 commercial) were identified for inclusion. 844 (38.8%) patients had a mental health diagnosis identified during the 12-month preinjury period. During the index encounter, 184 (8.5%) patients had a newly diagnosed mental health disorder. In the 12 months postinjury, 559 (25.7%) patients had a newly diagnosed mental health disorder. The most common new diagnosis categories were trauma disorders, substance abuse, and disruptive disorders. Medicaid insurance and a prior complex chronic condition were predictors of new mental health diagnosis. Conclusion Over a quarter of youth with nonfatal firearm injury were diagnosed with a new mental health condition in the 12 months after their injury. Health care providers should be vigilant about mental health screening and ensuring access to mental health care services in this population.

In the United States, there is a perceived divide regarding the benefits and risks of firearm ownership. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma Injury Prevention and Control Committee designed a survey to evaluate Committee on Trauma (COT) member attitudes about firearm ownership, freedom, responsibility, physician-patient freedom and policy, with the objective of using survey results to inform firearm injury prevention policy development.A 32-question survey was sent to 254 current U.S. COT members by email using Qualtrics. SPSS was used for χ exact tests and nonparametric tests, with statistical significance being less than 0.05.Our response rate was 93%, 43% of COT members have firearm(s) in their home, 88% believe that the American College of Surgeons should give the highest or a high priority to reducing firearm-related injuries, 86% believe health care professionals should be allowed to counsel patients on firearms safety, 94% support federal funding for firearms injury prevention research. The COT participants were asked to provide their opinion on the American College of Surgeons initiating advocacy efforts and there was 90% or greater agreement on 7 of 15 and 80% or greater on 10 of 15 initiatives.The COT surgeons agree on: (1) the importance of formally addressing firearm injury prevention, (2) allowing federal funds to support research on firearms injury prevention, (3) retaining the ability of health care professionals to counsel patients on firearms-related injury prevention, and (4) the majority of policy initiatives targeted to reduce interpersonal violence and firearm injury. It is incumbent on trauma and injury prevention organizations to leverage these consensus-based results to initiate prevention, advocacy, and other efforts to decrease firearms injury and death.Prognostic/epidemiologic study, level I; therapeutic care, level II.