Racial and ethnic disparities in pediatric firearm deaths persist in 2022 and 2023.

IF 2.4 3区医学 Q2 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Injury Epidemiology Pub Date : 2025-03-24 DOI:10.1186/s40621-025-00571-3

Rafael Klein-Cloud, Bailey Roberts, Emma Cornell, Colleen Nofi, Chethan Sathya

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Firearms became the leading cause of death in the United States pediatric population in 2019 and have persisted as the leading cause through 2021, with widening racial and ethnic disparities. We aimed to examine recent trends in U.S pediatric firearm mortality, how they differ by intent, and identify which ages, and racial and ethnic groups have been most impacted over time.

Methods: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database was queried for mortalities in children aged 0-19 years from 2014-2023, and crude death rate was reported as number of deaths per 100,000 persons per year.

Results: Firearms continued to be the leading cause of death in patients aged 0-19 years from 2021 to 2023, firearm crude death rate decreased from 5.8 to 5.5. In patients aged 14-19, firearms became the leading cause of death in 2016. In patients aged 0-13 years, firearms continue to be the fourth leading cause of death. Firearm death rates for Black children decreased from 18.6 in 2022 to 17.6 in 2023 yet remained far higher than other races, and highest in all census regions. Crude firearm death rates for American Indian and Alaskan Native (AIAN) children remained the second highest. The firearm suicide rate in Black children (1.8) surpassed that of White children (1.6) in 2022 and was the highest of any ethnicity in 2023. NonCore (rural) regions had the highest firearm crude death rates in 2018-19, and AIAN children were disproportionately affected in these areas, while Large Central Metro areas surpassed this in 2020-2021.

Conclusions: Firearms remain the leading cause of death among children aged 14-19, and the fourth leading cause of death among children 13 and younger. Racial and ethnic disparities remain prominent, as Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native children continue to be disproportionately affected, particularly by firearm suicide. Prevention strategies should target these vulnerable populations and children at highest risk to prevent future firearm deaths.

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来源期刊

Injury Epidemiology Medicine-Medicine (all)

CiteScore

3.20

自引率

4.50%

发文量

审稿时长

13 weeks

期刊介绍： Injury Epidemiology is dedicated to advancing the scientific foundation for injury prevention and control through timely publication and dissemination of peer-reviewed research. Injury Epidemiology aims to be the premier venue for communicating epidemiologic studies of unintentional and intentional injuries, including, but not limited to, morbidity and mortality from motor vehicle crashes, drug overdose/poisoning, falls, drowning, fires/burns, iatrogenic injury, suicide, homicide, assaults, and abuse. We welcome investigations designed to understand the magnitude, distribution, determinants, causes, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and outcomes of injuries in specific population groups, geographic regions, and environmental settings (e.g., home, workplace, transport, recreation, sports, and urban/rural). Injury Epidemiology has a special focus on studies generating objective and practical knowledge that can be translated into interventions to reduce injury morbidity and mortality on a population level. Priority consideration will be given to manuscripts that feature contemporary theories and concepts, innovative methods, and novel techniques as applied to injury surveillance, risk assessment, development and implementation of effective interventions, and program and policy evaluation.