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Disfiguring Firearm Injuries in Children in the United States
Suhail Zeineddin1, Ahmad Zeineddin1, Anish Jain1
1Clive O. Callender Howard-Harvard Health Sciences Outcomes Research Center, Department of Surgery, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
Insights
Firearm injuries cause significant disfigurement in children, impacting their social and educational development. This study highlights the high rates of lasting physical impairments from gun violence in American youth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Trauma Surgery
- Public Health
- Forensic Medicine
Background:
- Firearm injuries are a major cause of child mortality and morbidity in the U.S.
- Existing research primarily focuses on firearm-related mortality, with less attention to disfiguring injuries in children.
- Disfiguring injuries can have profound, long-term effects on a child's quality of life, including social and educational impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the incidence and types of lasting physical disfigurements in children who sustain firearm injuries.
- To quantify the burden of non-fatal, disfiguring firearm injuries among pediatric populations in the United States.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the National Trauma Data Bank (2007-2015).
- Identified a cohort of children (under 18) who sustained gunshot injuries and required procedures for lasting physical disfigurement.
- Analyzed demographic data, injury types, and mortality rates within this cohort.
Main Results:
- A total of 28,593 children were identified as victims of firearm injuries.
- Over 5% (1500 children) experienced one or more disfigurements, including amputations, craniectomies, enucleations, ileostomies/colostomies, and tracheostomies.
- The majority of injured children were adolescents (13-18 years), male, and Black.
Conclusions:
- Firearm injuries impose a substantial burden of disfigurement on American children, extending beyond mortality.
- These disfiguring injuries have significant implications for children's education and socialization.
- Addressing the impact of non-concealable disfigurements from firearm injuries is crucial in discussions about gun violence prevention.
Abstract:
Firearms are a leading cause of injury and death among children in the United States. Most gun violence studies highlight mortality, but few have examined the morbidity in disfiguring injuries suffered by children. Using National Trauma Data Bank 2007-2015, children who suffered gunshot injuries and underwent procedures with lasting physical disfigurement formed the cohort of this study. We identified 28 593 children as victims of firearm injuries. Most were aged 13-18 (84%). There was a preponderance of male gender (86%) and black race/ethnicity (57%). Total mortality was 3774 (13%), and 1500 (5.4%) were identified with one or more disfigurements: 220 amputations, 191 craniectomy, 100 enucleation, 533 ileostomy/colostomy, and 557 tracheostomies. This report highlights the large toll firearm injuries take on American children, specifically in non-concealable disfigurements. These injuries are very impactful to their education and overall socialization and therefore must be a part of the discussion of gun violence in the United States.
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