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Project UJIMA: working together to make things right
D R Marcelle1, M D Melzer-Lange
1Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Pediatrics, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. marcelle@mcw.edu
Insights
Project UJIMA, a community violence intervention program, served 218 pediatric patients in Milwaukee. The program aims to reduce re-injury and psychological harm from violence, showing progress toward these goals.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Violence Prevention
Background:
- Interpersonal violence poses significant risks to pediatric populations.
- Community-based programs are crucial for addressing violence-related injuries in youth.
- Project UJIMA operates in the greater Milwaukee metropolitan area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe pediatric patients served by Project UJIMA.
- To evaluate the program's effectiveness in reducing re-injury and psychological distress.
- To highlight the collaborative, community-based approach of the intervention.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 218 pediatric patients treated for violent injuries.
- Inclusion criteria: presentation to an urban pediatric Emergency Department (ED) in 1998 and receipt of Project UJIMA services.
- Data collection focused on demographics, injury types, and services received.
Main Results:
- Patients aged 10-18, average 15 years; 69% male, 69% African-American.
- Physical assault (62%) and firearm injuries (31%) were leading causes.
- 72% received mental health referrals; 3 youths had repeat injury ED visits.
Conclusions:
- Project UJIMA demonstrates progress in reducing injury recidivism among pediatric patients.
- The program effectively addresses psychological consequences of violence through mental health services.
- Community-based violence intervention is vital for pediatric populations affected by interpersonal violence.
Objective:
The purpose of this paper is to describe a group of pediatric patients who utilize services of Project UJIMA, a collaborative, community-based violence intervention/prevention program serving the greater Milwaukee metropolitan area. Program goals are to (1) reduce the rates of re-injury and premature death; and (2) minimize adverse psychological consequences of violence.
Methods:
Retrospective observation of 218 patients who presented to an urban pediatric Emergency Department in 1998 as a result of interpersonal violent injury and received some level of service from Project UJIMA.
Results:
Patient age ranged from 10 to 18 years with an average of 15 years. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of patients were male. The majority of patients were African-American (69%), followed by caucasian (21%), and Latino (8%). Physical assault was the leading type of injury (62%). Nearly one-third of cases were due to firearms (31%). Three youths required a repeat ED visit due to interpersonal injury. One hundred fifty-six (72%) were referred for mental health services to address adverse psychological effects.
Conclusion:
Project UJIMA is approaching its goals of (1) reducing injury recidivism rates in this population; and (2) providing services to address related mental health issues.