Medical Student George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, United States
Background: Gun violence is the leading cause of death among children and young adults in the United States (US). Identified risk factors include prior violent injury, criminal justice system involvement and substance use. However, less is known about victims’ interactions with the healthcare system prior to firearm death. This information is critical to improving upstream interventions such as hospital-based violence intervention programs. Objective: Describe the epidemiology of individuals aged 13-30 who were fatally shot in a US metropolitan area and characterize their interactions with a local academic pediatric hospital system Design/Methods: Potential subjects were identified by searching the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), a database of gun violence incidents, for individuals aged 13–30 who were fatally shot in a US metropolitan area from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022. The electronic medical record (EMR) was queried to identify victims who received care at our institution prior to their death. Individuals in the GVA were matched to EMR records by name, age at death, and if there were no documented visits to our institution after the reported date of death. Risk factors for firearm injury, including prior violent and nonviolent injury, substance use, involvement with child protective services and the criminal justice system, and mental illness were obtained from the EMR by manual chart review. The number of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for each risk factor was recorded.
841 incidents were recorded in the GVA during our study period. We have reviewed 490 incidents to date; 257 were matched to our EMR, 42 could not be matched to our EMR, and 191 were excluded as victims’ injuries were nonfatal. Chart review and analyses will be complete by February 2024. Descriptive statistics will be used to analyze victims’ interactions with a local pediatric hospital system. Bivariate analysis will compare pediatric (age ≤18) with adult (ages 19-30) victims to determine if risk factors vary by age. This study was reviewed by an IRB and deemed exempt.
