Annual Incidence of Hospitalization for Nonfatal Firearm-Related Injuries in New York From 2005 to 2016

Abstract

IMPORTANCEIn the US, approximately 40 000 people die due to firearm-related injuries annually.However, nonfatal firearm-related injuries are less precisely tracked.

Using State Hospitalization Databases to Improve Firearm Injury Data—A Step in the Right Direction

“…Although the intent behind the injury was not reported and is a limitation here, other studies have reported the fatality rate at 5% for unintentional injury and 20% for assaults, compared with 85% for suicide attempts, leading the reader to infer that most of the reported injuries reported in the database were due to assault, especially since children younger than 15 years were excluded. 3 The findings of Hsu et al 1 are reflective of what is reported in the literature regarding populations that are more likely to experience firearm injuries, including Black men and individuals in urban areas. They also found that 10.7% of individuals who have experienced an initial firearm injury experience a second firearm injury.…”

“…As more data emerge about the association of social determinants of health, such as unemployment, income inequality, social capital, social mobility, and community investment in social welfare, with firearm injury risk it is imperative that such investigations assess how these differ and change over time relative to firearm injury incidence, as such changes may be associated with difference between communities and provide more opportunity for targeted prevention efforts at the macro level. 5 While only income level was explored in the study by Hsu et al, 1 county-or zip codelevel linkages to other social determinants of health or indices of disparity that are more inclusive of multiple elements of disadvantage or inequality could be further explored to better understand these differences appreciated at the county level, or even at neighborhood level, given that these may vary dramatically within counties.…”

“…changes in incidence over time. The study by Hsu et al 1 contributes to an increasing effort to improve the quality of firearm injury data in the US. Firearm injury data have been problematic, as there is no nationwide comprehensive public health data set that provides accurate surveillance or robust descriptions of nonfatal firearm injuries.…”

“…The study by Hsu and colleagues used a state hospitalization database to determine the rate of nonfatal firearm injury hospitalizations in New York State from 2005 to 2016. They found the overall rate of nonfatal firearm injury hospitalizations to be 18.4 hospitalizations per 100 000 population, noting significant county-level differences in incidence based on demographics, urbanicity, and changes in incidence over time.…”

“…They found the overall rate of nonfatal firearm injury hospitalizations to be 18.4 hospitalizations per 100 000 population, noting significant county-level differences in incidence based on demographics, urbanicity, and changes in incidence over time. The study by Hsu et al contributes to an increasing effort to improve the quality of firearm injury data in the US. Firearm injury data have been problematic, as there is no nationwide comprehensive public health data set that provides accurate surveillance or robust descriptions of nonfatal firearm injuries.…”