Non-Fatal Gunshot Trauma Among A Sample of Adolescents in Djibouti: Prevalence and Sociodemographic Associations. (January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wilson, Michael L.; Lewis, Erin R.
• Is Part Of: Journal of interpersonal violence. Volume 29:Number 2(2014)
• Page Start: 320
• Page End: 331
• Publication Date: 2014-01
• Subjects: adolescents -- trauma -- Africa -- Global School-Based Health Survey; Violence -- Periodicals; Sex crimes -- Periodicals; Violence -- Périodiques; Crimes sexuels -- Périodiques; 364.15
• DOI: 10.1177/0886260513505142
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0886-2605

Abstract

Firearm trauma is the second most common cause of serious injury among adolescents in the Republic of Djibouti. The aim of this study was to explore the sociodemographic correlates of serious injury and non-fatal gunshot trauma among adolescents in Djibouti. Using multinomial logistic regression, we compared a sample of adolescents ( N = 1, 711) who self-reported a non-firearm-related serious injury ( n = 587) and those who reported a firearm-related injury ( n = 101) with non-injured participants ( n = 1, 023) during a 12-month recall period. Analyses targeted demographic, behavioral, social, mental health, and family factors. After adjusting for covariates, participants reporting a non-firearm-related serious injury were more likely to report having been involved in physical fights (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 145; confidence interval [CI] = [1.04, 2.02), being bullied (RRR = 2.83; CI = [2.24, 3.56]), feeling lonely (RRR = 1.48; CI = [1.11, 1.96]), having signs of depression (RRR = 1.27; CI = [1.02, 1.58]), and be truant from school (RRR = 1.68; CI = [1.25, 2.28]). Those who reported a gunshot injury recorded being bullied (RRR = 2.83; CI = [1.77, 4.53]) and physically attacked at higher rates (RRR = 1.78; CI = [1.09, 2.89]). Serious injuries, whether firearm related or not, are important threats to adolescent health in Djibouti with potentially serious health-related correlates. More research, particularly multilevel designs, are needed to explain context-relevant factors associated with serious trauma in Djibouti.