Recurrent violent injury: magnitude, risk factors, and opportunities for intervention from a statewide analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Although preventing recurrent violent injury is an important component of a public health approach to interpersonal violence and a common focus of violence intervention programs, the true incidence of recurrent violent injury is unknown. Prior studies have reported recurrence rates from 0.8% to 44%, and risk factors for recurrence are not well established. METHODS: We used a statewide, all-payer database to perform a retrospective cohort study of emergency department visits for injury due to interpersonal violence in Florida, following up patients injured in 2010 for recurrence through 2012. We assessed risk factors for recurrence with multivariable logistic regression and estimated time to recurrence with the Kaplan-Meier method. We tabulated hospital charges and costs for index and recurrent visits. RESULTS: Of 53 908 patients presenting for violent injury in 2010, 11.1% had a recurrent violent injury during the study period. Trauma centers treated 31.8%, including 55.9% of severe injuries. Among recurrers, 58.9% went to a different hospital for their second injury. Low income, homelessness, Medicaid or uninsurance, and black race were associated with increased odds of recurrence. Patients with visits for mental and behavioral health and unintentional injury also had increased odds of recurrence. Index injuries accounted for $105 million in costs, and recurrent injuries accounted for another$25.3 million. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent violent injury is a common and costly phenomenon, and effective violence prevention programs are needed. Prevention must include the nontrauma centers where many patients seek care

State Firearm Laws and Interstate Firearm Deaths From Homicide and Suicide in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Data by County

In a cross-sectional analysis of deaths from 2010 through 2014, states with strong gun laws had lower rates of firearm-related homicide and suicide than states with less regulation. Counties in states with less restrictive firearms laws had relatively lower rates of firearm-related homicide when they bordered states with strict gun laws. In contrast, rates of gun violence in areas with strong gun laws were unaffected by lenient laws in neighboring states. Restrictions on the sale and ownership of firearms may have measurable effects on rates of firearm deaths, with potential spillover across state lines

Suicide In American Cities

Purpose of Review Suicide rates have risen over the past two decades in the United States of America (USA). Rates are higher in rural settings, but more total suicides occur in urban areas. Understanding risk and protective factors prevalent in urban areas is essential in reducing the individual and public health impact of suicide. Recent Findings Lower rates of suicide in urban settings derive less from underlying differences in mental distress than from variation in access to care and to highly lethal means of suicide. Culturally appropriate interventions incorporating intersectional perspectives are needed to prevent and reduce suicide among people of color, particularly Native American and Black youth, and among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations. Summary The Zero Suicide Initiative aims to coordinate multi-level suicide prevention interventions across sites of healthcare, and may be particularly well-suited to urban areas, where sources of care are more densely available and healthcare contacts may be more frequent

Law enforcement in the trauma bay: a survey of members of the American Academy for the Surgery of Trauma

Background Trauma patients frequently come into contact with law enforcement officers (LEOs) during the course of their medical care, but little is known about how LEO presence affects processes of care. We surveyed members of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) to assess their perspectives on frequency, circumstances, and implications of LEO presence in trauma bays nationwide.Methods Survey items addressed respondents’ experience with the frequency and context of LEO presence and their perspectives on the impact of LEO presence for patients, clinical care, and public safety. Respondent demographics, professional characteristics, and practice setting were collected. The survey was distributed electronically to AAST members in September and October of 2020. Responses were compared by participant age, gender, race, ethnicity, urban versus rural location using χ2 tests.Results Of 234 respondents, 189 (80.7%) were attending surgeons, 169 (72.2%) identified as white, and 144 (61.5%) as male. 187 respondents (79.9%) observed LEO presence at least weekly. Respondents found LEO presence was most helpful for public safety, followed by clinical care, and then for patients. Older respondents rated LEO presence as helpful more often than younger respondents regarding the impact on patients, clinical care, and public safety (p<0.001 across all domains). When determining LEO access, respondents assessed severity of the patient’s condition, the safety of emergency department staff, the safety of LEOs, and a patient’s potential role as a threat to public safety.Conclusions Respondents described a wide range of perspectives on the impact and consequence of LEO in the trauma bay, with little policy to guide interactions. The overlap of law enforcement and healthcare in the trauma bay deserves attention from institutional and professional policymakers to preserve patient safety and autonomy and patient-centered care.Level of evidence IV, survey study

Commentary: Reducing youth firearm violence and the associated health disparities requires enhanced surveillance and modern behavioral intervention strategies – a commentary on Bottiani et al. (2021)

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/167533/1/jcpp13421_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/167533/2/jcpp13421.pd

Injury Characteristics and Circumstances of Firearm Trauma: Assessing Suicide Survivors and Decedents

Introduction: Despite representing fewer than 5% of suicide attempts, firearms account for over half of deaths. Yet there is little clinical information regarding firearm attempts, particularly survivors. We assessed clinical factors differentiating firearm suicide survivors from decedents, firearm attempters from other methods, and firearm attempters from similarly injured trauma patients. Methods: We used clinical data from the National Trauma Data Bank (2017) to assess firearm suicide attempts using cross-sectional and case–control designs. We used logistic and multinomial regression to compare groups and assess firearm type and discharge destination. Results: Older age, being uninsured, and injury location were associated with increased mortality among firearm attempters. Older age, White race, male sex, and being uninsured were associated with firearm attempts. Major psychiatric disorders were associated with firearm attempts and using a rifle or shotgun. Major psychiatric disorders, female sex, and smoking were associated with psychiatric discharge. Black and other race were associated with law enforcement discharge, and Black race was associated with lower odds of psychiatric discharge. Uninsured patients had lower odds of discharge to long-term care, psychiatric, or rehabilitation facilities. Conclusions: This study identifies factors associated with firearm suicide and includes indicators of disparities in health services for patients at high risk of suicide death

Early VTE Prophylaxis in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Propensity Score Weighted EAST Multi-Center Study

BACKGROUND: Patients with TBI are at high risk of venous thromboembolism events (VTE). We hypothesized that early chemical VTE prophylaxis initiation (≤24 hours of a stable head CT) in severe TBI would reduce VTE without increasing risk of intracranial hemorrhage expansion (ICHE). METHODS: A retrospective review of adult patients ≥18 years of age with isolated severe TBI (AIS ≥ 3) who were admitted to 24 level 1 and level 2 trauma centers from January 1, 2014 to December 31 2020 was conducted. Patients were divided into those who did not receive any VTE prophylaxis (NO VTEP), who received VTE prophylaxis ≤24 hours after stable head CT (VTEP ≤24) and who received VTE prophylaxis \u3e24 hours after stable head CT (VTEP\u3e24). Primary outcomes were VTE and ICHE. Covariate balancing propensity score weighting was utilized to balance demographic & clinical characteristics across three groups. Weighted univariate logistic regression models were estimated for VTE & ICHE with patient group as predictor of interest. RESULTS: Of 3,936 patients, 1,784 met inclusion criteria. Incidences of VTE was significantly higher in the VTEP\u3e24 group, with higher incidences of DVT in the group. Higher incidences of ICHE were observed in the VTEP≤24 and VTEP\u3e24 groups. After propensity score weighting, there was a higher risk of VTE in patients in VTEP \u3e24 compared to those in VTEP≤24 ( [OR] = 1.51; [95%CI] = 0.69-3.30; p = 0.307), however was not significant. Although, the No VTEP group had decreased odds of having ICHE compared to VTEP≤24 (OR = 0.75; 95%CI = 0.55-1.02, p = 0.070), the result was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: In this large multi-center analysis, there were no significant differences in VTE based on timing of initiation of VTE prophylaxis. Patients who never received VTE prophylaxis had decreased odds of ICHE. Further evaluation of VTE prophylaxis in larger randomized studies will be necessary for definitive conclusions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: level III, Therapeutic Care Management