The Disturbing Findings of Pediatric Firearm Injuries From the National Trauma Data Bank: 2010-2016

Relationships between socioeconomic deprivation and pediatric firearm-related injury at the neighborhood level

“…Consistent with previous literature, there were higher rates of firearm-related admissions for Black children and those with public insurance. 4,[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] These associations were particularly pronounced for those injured from assault, as 87.9% (58/66) and 83.3% (55/66) of children admitted after firearm assault were Black or had public insurance respectively. These clear trends of Black children and children from deprived neighborhoods experiencing a disproportionate burden of firearm-related injury hospitalization, particularly from assault, should cause us to carefully consider the underlying root causes for these inequities.…”

“…The trend of increased self-inflicted firearm injuries in White patients is consistent with other literature. 4,6,15,19 This inequity could result from differences in underlying mental health diseasewhich would prompt further questions-or could result from differences in access to firearms whether secondary to differences in gun ownership or safe storage patterns. In fact, one study found that families of Black and Hispanic children were both less likely to own guns, and when they owned guns, they were more likely to engage is safe storage practices compared with families of White children.…”

“…3 Inequities in the rates and nature of pediatric firearm-related injuries have been demonstrated based on sex, age, race, ethnicity, insurance status, and socioeconomic status (SES). There are much higher rates in males, [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] in older children and adolescents, [4][5][6]9,14,16 and disproportionately higher rates of firearm-and assault-related injury among Black and Hispanic children. 4,[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] The most recent national data suggest that Black children account for 59.6% of all firearm-related hospitalizations and 66.8% of all firearm assault-related hospitalizations despite making up only 12.8% of the population.…”

“…There are much higher rates in males, [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] in older children and adolescents, [4][5][6]9,14,16 and disproportionately higher rates of firearm-and assault-related injury among Black and Hispanic children. 4,[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] The most recent national data suggest that Black children account for 59.6% of all firearm-related hospitalizations and 66.8% of all firearm assault-related hospitalizations despite making up only 12.8% of the population. 6,20 Few studies have examined the impact of insurance, but those that have depict associations between public insurance, a proxy for lower SES, and hospitalization for firearm-related injury among children.…”

“…4,[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] The most recent national data suggest that Black children account for 59.6% of all firearm-related hospitalizations and 66.8% of all firearm assault-related hospitalizations despite making up only 12.8% of the population. 6,20 Few studies have examined the impact of insurance, but those that have depict associations between public insurance, a proxy for lower SES, and hospitalization for firearm-related injury among children. 5,9 There is also an increased interest in understanding how a child's broader neighborhood context and neighborhood-level SDH, such as socioeconomic deprivation, may drive inequities in firearm-related injury.…”