Gun injuries in kids surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 50% increase compared to previous years. Data from children鈥檚 hospitals showed there were 2,759 firearm injuries among children between April 2020 to December 2021 compared to 1,815 injuries during the same time period in 2018 and 2019. Researchers at 香蕉视频 of Utah Health carried out the analysis, which published as a research letter in .
鈥淔irearm injuries are the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in the United States. This is a heart-breaking statistic,鈥 Stephanie Iantorno, M.D. told . She is lead author of the study and a surgical resident at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the 香蕉视频 of Utah. Katie Russell, M.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, was the study鈥檚 senior author. 鈥淒uring the pandemic, there were significantly more firearm injuries seen at children's hospitals across the country, and that is pretty alarming,鈥 says Iantorno.
Closer analysis revealed that a disproportionate number of Black children and children with public insurance were injured by guns during that time compared to previous years. 鈥淧andemic conditions exacerbated many structural inequities that contribute to health disparities, and our findings may reflect the disparities that some minoritized children experienced during the study period,鈥 the study鈥檚 authors wrote.
The results came from statistical analysis of the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database with information from 49 children鈥檚 hospitals across the U.S. and does not account for transfers from other hospitals.
The authors note that understanding the context of gun injuries in children may inform approaches for prevention and prepare health systems to provide the best care in such circumstances.
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In addition to Iantorno and Russell, the study鈥檚 coauthors are Robert Swendiman, M.D., and Brian Bucher, M.D.
The research was supported by the 香蕉视频 of Utah, Intermountain Healthcare, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and published as 鈥