Firearm-Related Hospitalization and Risk for Subsequent Violent Injury, Death, or Crime Perpetration

Abstract

Seattle City Council and University of Washington Royalty Research Fund.

Long-term mortality of patients surviving firearm violence

“…Our decision to report yearly hazards of death was driven largely by statistical considerations to improve our model, as well as by visual inspection of our survival curve—the pronounced early mortality in the GSW group was not an a priori considered hypothesis. Nonetheless, these data are consistent with and further corroborate recent reports of dramatically increased long-term mortality among firearm violence victims who were hospitalised as compared with those hospitalised without injury 11. Our analysis expands the findings by including a population of individuals treated and released in the ED and sheds light on the timing of risk of death after firearm injury.…”

“…Beyond the exposures noted above, GSW victims may also experience higher rates of short-term adverse physical and psychological outcomes, including disabilities, declines in functional status and post-traumatic stress disorder or depression 20 21. Furthermore, these individuals are at higher risk to be reinjured and re-hospitalised (both for injury and non-injury reasons) 11 15. This suggests that the first year may offer an opportunity to alter the life course of these patients, and violence intervention programmes and healthcare practitioners who may treat patients on subsequent encounters, should focus on this early, critical period.…”

“…The long-term mortality risk for the survivors of firearm injury is poorly understood,10 though recent data from inpatient firearm victims suggest that repeat hospitalisation and future death is dramatically higher than for the general population 11. Better understanding of the course of high-risk patients released from the ED or after hospitalisation following firearm injury will allow healthcare professionals and public health officials to understand such firearm-related trauma.…”

A Consensus-Driven Agenda for Emergency Medicine Firearm Injury Prevention Research

“…They increase risk of future violent victimization and death, crime perpetration, and subsequent firearm violence; they are also associated with high rates of physical disability and mental illness, both among victims and bystanders. [5][6][7][8][9] The costs associated with firearm violence, injury, and death are substantial: an estimated $630 million per year is spent on acute medical care alone, and significantly more on lost wages, long-term care, and legal proceedings. 10 Relative to the burden of disease, there has been far too little high-quality firearm injury prevention and control research.…”

Yes, You Can: Physicians, Patients, and Firearms

“…A history of violence perpetration is a strong predictor of future violence in the general population (21) and among firearm owners (22). Similarly, patients hospitalized or treated in emergency departments for violent victimization are at high risk for committing violence (23,24). Alcohol abuse is common in the general population and among firearm owners (25) and is a wellestablished risk factor for interpersonal and selfdirected firearm violence (26).…”