Abstract
Background
Age- and intent-related differences in the burden and costs of firearm injury treated
in emergency departments are not well-documented.
Methods
We performed a serial cross-sectional study of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization
Program Nationwide Emergency Department Survey from 2006 to 2016. We used International
Classification of Diseases diagnoses codes revisions 9 and 10 to identify firearm
injuries. We calculated survey-weighted counts, proportions, means, and rates and
confidence intervals of national, age-specific (0–4, 5–9, 10–14, 15–17, 18–44, 45–64,
65–84, >84) and intent-specific (assault, unintentional, suicide, undetermined) emergency
department discharges for firearm injuries. We used survey-weighted regression to
assess temporal trends.
Results
There was a total of 868,483 (25.5 per 100,000) emergency department visits for firearm
injuries from 2006 to 2016, and 7.8% died in the emergency department. Overall, firearm
injury rates remained steady (P = .78). The largest burden was among those 25 to 44 years of age, but their rates
remained stable (10.8 per 100,000). Overall assault injuries declined from 39.7% to
36.4%, and overall unintentional injuries increased from 46.4% to 54.7%. Legal-intervention
injuries declined from 0.6 to 0.3 per 100,000. The charges (total $4,059,070,364,
$369,006,396/year) increased across time in age and intent groups. The mean predicted
charges increased from $1,922 to $3,348 in those alive versus $3,741 to $6,515 among
those who died.
Conclusion
Interventions and programs to manage the consequences of firearm injury in persons
who live with ongoing morbidity and economic burden are warranted.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 28, 2020
Accepted:
November 9,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Published by Elsevier Inc.
