Factors Associated With Firearm Injury Among Pediatric Members of a Large Integrated Healthcare System

Abstract

Background and objectives: Few studies have tested multiple socio-ecological risk factors assocated with firearm injury among pediatric populations and distinguished self-inflicted from non-self-inflicted injury. To address this gap, the current study examined demographic, individual psychosocial, and neighborhood variables as risk factors for firearm injury among a large cohort of children and adolescents.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Data were obtained from the electronic health records of a large integrated healthcare system. The cohort included children <18 years with at least one clinical encounter between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2018. Poisson regression was used to examine demographic (age, gender, race and ethnicity, Medicaid status), psychosocial (depression, substance use disorder, medical comorbidities), and neighborhood education variables as potential risk factors for non-self-inflicted and self-inflicted firearm injuries.

Results: For non-self-inflicted injury, the highest relative risk was found for children age 12-17 years old compared to 0-5 year olds (RR = 37.57); other risk factors included male gender, Black and Hispanic race and ethnicity (compared to White race), being a Medicaid recipient, lower neighborhood education, and substance use disorder diagnosis. For self-inflicted injury, only age 12-17 years old and male gender were associated with increased risk.

Conclusions: These results reinforce the established higher risk for firearm injury among adolescent males, highlight differences between self-inflicted and non-self-inflicted injuries, and the need to consider demographic, psychosocial, and neighborhood variables as risk factors to inform interventions aimed to reduce firearm injuries among children and adolescents.

Keywords: firearm injury; pediatrics; risk factors.