Risk factors associated with non-fatal adolescent firearm injuries. Issue 2 (1st June 2002)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Paris, C A; Edgerton, E A; Sifuentes, M; Seidel, J S; Lewis, R J; Gausche, M
• Is Part Of: Injury prevention. Volume 8:Issue 2(2002)
• Page Start: 147
• Page End: 150
• Publication Date: 2002-06-01
• Subjects: firearms -- risk factors -- adolescents; CI, confidence interval -- HEADSS, home environment, educational habits or employment status, peer group related activities, drug use, sexual activity, and suicide -- OR, odds ratio; Children's accidents -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Accidents -- Prevention -- Periodicals; 617.1
• DOI: 10.1136/ip.8.2.147
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1353-8047

Abstract

Abstract : Study objective: To identify behavioral, environmental, and sociodemographic risk factors associated with non-fatal firearm injuries among inner city adolescents in the United States. Design: A case-control study in which patients with firearm injury serve as cases and those with medical conditions serve as controls. Setting: A level I trauma center in a metropolitan area serving a predominately lower socioeconomic status population. Participants: Cases were 45 consecutive patients 11–18 years presenting to the emergency department with a non-fatal firearm injury; controls were 50 age and gender matched patients presenting with acute medical problems. Outcome measure: Odds ratios (OR) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) as estimates of the magnitude of association between risk factors and non-fatal firearm injury. Results: After adjusting for age, gender and socioeconomic status, multivariate analysis identified four risk factors independently associated with firearm injury: living with less than two parents (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 12.2), skipping class (OR 7.1, 95% CI 1.7 to 28.9), previous arrest (OR 6.2, 95% CI 1.9 to 20.7), and being African-American (OR 4.2; 95% CI 1.4 to 14.9). Conclusion: Risk factors for adolescents sustaining a non-fatal firearm injury are sociodemographic and environmental, not just behavioral. Thus interventions that foster protective and supportive environments may help prevent firearm injuries.