Surveillance for fatal and nonfatal firearm-related injuries - United States, 1993-1998

Problem/Condition: Firearm-related injuries are the second leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. Reporting Period: January 1993--December 1998. Description of the Systems: Data presented in this report regarding nonfatal injuries are from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. National estimates of nonfatal firearm-related injuries were derived using weighted data for patients treated in a nationally representative, stratified probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments (EDs). Death data presented in this report are from CDC's National Vital Statistics System, which includes information from all death certificates filed in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Population data for calculating rates were obtained from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Results: During 1993--1998, an estimated average of 115,000 firearm-related injuries (including 35,200 fatal and 79,400 nonfatal injuries) occurred annually in the United States. Males were seven times more likely to die or be treated in a hospital ED for a gunshot wound than females. The proportion of firearm-related injuries that resulted in death increased from younger to older age groups. Approximately 68% of firearm-related injuries for teenagers and young adults aged 15--24 years were from interpersonal violence, and 78% of firearm-related injuries among older persons aged >65 years were from intentionally self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Black males aged 20--24 years had the highest average annual fatal (166.7/100,000 population) and nonfatal (689.4/100,000 population) firearm-related injury rates during the 6-year period. Although 51.4% of intentionally self-inflicted nonfatal wounds were to the head or neck, 71.8% of unintentional and 45.8% of assault-related nonfatal wounds were to the extremities. During the 6-year period, estimates are that quarterly fatal firearm-related injury rates declined 29.3%, and quarterly nonfatal firearm-related injury rates declined 46.9%. Firearm-related injury rates declined for intentionally self-inflicted, assault, and unintentional causes. Interpretation: Data in this report regarding trends in firearm-related injury rates during 1993--1998 indicate that both mortality and morbidity from gunshot wounds declined substantially in the United States. However, firearm-related injury continues to be a public health concern accounting for approximately 31,000 deaths and 64,500 nonfatal injuries treated in hospital EDs in 1998. Public Health Action: A state-based, national reporting system is needed to track the incidence, detailed circumstances, characteristics of the shooter and injured person, and long-term consequences of fatal and nonfatal firearm-related injuries. These data would be useful for the design, implementation, and evaluation of prevention programs aimed at reducing the burden of firearm-related injuries in the United StatesReports published in CDC surveillance summaries since January 1, 1991 -- Surveillance for fatal and nonfatal firearm-related injuries -United States, 1993-1998 -- Introduction -- Methods -- Results -- Discussion -- References -- Appendix: Standard error tables and formulas for fatal and nonfatal firearm-related injuries -- State and Territorial Epidemiologists and Laboratory Directors.April 13, 2001.Karen E. Gotsch, Joseph L. Annest, James A. Mercy, George W. Ryan, Office of Statistics and Programming, Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and ControlIncludes bibliographical references (p. 7-8)

Traumatic brain injury in the United States: assessing outcomes in children : summary and recommendations from the expert working group, Atlanta, GA, October 26-27, 2000

This report summarizes the comments, suggestions, and recommendations of a working group convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on assessment of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) outcomes in children and youth. It is intended for researchers, public health professionals-including those from state health departments-and advocates interested in furthering research on outcomes of TBI in children. TBI is often described as the leading cause of disability in children, but data to support this assertion are lacking. We know that each year an estimated 3,000 children and youth die from TBI; 29,000 are hospitalized; and 400,000 are treated in hospital emergency departments. Currently, no population-based studies of the outcomes of TBI among children and youth exist to provide national estimates of TBI related disability and document the need for services. On October 26 and 27, 2000, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC held a meeting of researchers, advocates and other professionals from the U.S. and New Zealand to discuss "Methodological Issues in Assessing Outcomes of TBI in Children and Youth." The primary purpose of this meeting was to determine the feasibility and appropriate methods for conducting population-based follow-up studies of outcomes of TBI in children and youth. Meeting participants identified key research topics and variables to measure in assessing longer-term outcomes of TBI in children and youth (ages 0-16 years). They reviewed several conceptual models of disability, including the Institute of Medicine Model and the World Health Organization Model that could provide a framework for designing appropriate studies of TBI outcomes. They also discussed the advantages and shortcomings of available measures for assessing these outcomes. Finally, the working group described the challenges in designing and implementing studies on TBI in children and youth and recommended ways to address those challenges.Executive summary -- Background -- Designing studies that assess longer-term TBI outcomes -- Available measures for assessing TBI outcomes -- Recommendations for additional research -- Other methodological issues in assessing TBI outcomes -- Other TBI issues -- Appendix A. Overview of available outcome assessments -- Appendix B. Slides from expert group presentation -- Appendix C. Data from the South Carolina surveillance system -- Appendix D. Other resources to guide selection of research topics -- Appendix E. Overview of TBI surveillance activities funded by the CDCeditor, Jean A. Langlois.Includes bibliographical references (p. 28-30)

Youth violence: facts at a glance

"Summer 2009."Includes bibliographical references

Facts about concussion and brain injury

About concussion -- Symptoms of concussion -- Getting better -- Where to get helpTitle from caption, PDF title screen (viewed on Feb. 6, 2012)."CS202043."" a publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.Available via the World Wide Web as an Acrobat .pdf file (5.23 MB, 20 p.)