National estimates of nonfatal firearm-related injuries. Beyond the tip of the iceberg

Firearm Violence in America: A Growing Health Problem

“…In 2002, 59% of suicides among males and 33% among females were committed with a firearm. [28], [12] Firearm suicides are more prevalent among Hispanics, American Indians and Alaskan Natives compared to other ethnic groups, especially among males. Between 1979 and 1997, the rate of firearm suicide among African-American males ages 15 to19 increased by 133% (from 3.6 per 100,000 to 8.4 per 100,000), while the rate among same-age white males increased only 7% (from 9.7 per 100,000 to 10.4 per 100,000).…”

Pattern And Clinical Characteristics Of Firearm Injuries

“…Of the non-fatal FAI that have been studied, spinal cord injuries and amputations are among the leading causes of permanent disability. Often, victims require expensive and time consuming surgery followed by weeks or months of hospitalisation and rehabilitation (4,5). In Brazil, over 25% of spinal injuries are caused by firearms while in Finland, there is an average of 13 hospitalisation days for cases with mild to moderate FAI whereas in Los Angeles, FAI patients spend an average of ten days in hospital (6).…”

Pellet gunfire injuries among agitated mobs in Kashmir

“…[1] Many case reports of serious and even fatal non-powder firearm injuries have been published describing ocular, intracranial, abdominal, and thoracic wounds, [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] but there is no single data regarding the pattern, severity and outcome of pellet injuries inflicted while controlling agitated crowds in a defined population. A persisting problem is the lack of medical recognition of the severity of injuries that can result from these guns, including penetration of the eye, skin, internal organs, and bone.…”