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Citation |
Fingerhut LA, Ingram DD, Feldman JJ. J. Am. Med. Assoc. JAMA 1992; 267(22): 3048-3053. |
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Affiliation |
Office of Analysis and Epidemiology, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control, Hyattsville, Md 20782. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 1992, American Medical Association) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
1588719 |
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Abstract |
OBJECTIVE--To examine trends (1979 through 1989) and current status in firearm and nonfirearm homicide rates by level of urbanization among persons 15 through 19 years of age. DESIGN--The Compressed Mortality File, a county-level mortality and population database maintained by the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control, Hyattsville, Md, and the 1980 Human Resource Profile County Codes are used to analyze age-, sex-, and race-specific firearm and nonfirearm homicide rates by urbanization level. SETTING--United States, 1979 through 1989. SUBJECTS--Black and white males and females 15 through 19 years of age whose underlying cause of death was either firearm homicide (E965.0 through E965.4 or E970) or nonfirearm homicide (E960 through E964, E965.5 through E969, or E971 through E978) in the ICD-9 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Injuries, and Causes of Death, Ninth Revision). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Urbanization level-specific firearm and nonfirearm homicide rates. RESULTS--The 1989 firearm homicide rate in metropolitan counties was nearly five times the rate in nonmetropolitan counties (13.7 vs 2.9 deaths per 100,000 population). Firearm homicide rates were highest in core metropolitan counties, 27.7 per 100,000 population; rates were higher for black males than for any other race-sex group in each of five county urbanization strata for 1979 through 1989. Nonfirearm homicide rates are considerably lower, with smaller urban differentials; the rate in metropolitan counties was 1.4 times the rate in nonmetropolitan counties (2.6 vs 1.8 per 100,000 population). From 1979 through 1984, firearm homicide rates declined in each of the county strata. From 1984 through 1987, firearm homicide rates increased, and from 1987 through 1989 they increased rapidly, from 23% to 35% per year in the four metropolitan strata. From 1979 through 1989, nonfirearm homicide rates declined or remained stable. CONCLUSIONS--Large urbanization differentials in firearm homicide and smaller differentials in nonfirearm homicide are identified. Firearm homicide rates are highest and increasing the fastest among black teenage males in the core, fringe, and medium metropolitan strata. VioLit summary: OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research by Fingerhut et al. was to determine the firearm and non-firearm homicide rates and trends for United States juveniles aged 15 through 19 by level of urbanization. METHODOLOGY: This was a quasi-experimental cross-sectional study using secondary data. The United States firearm and non-firearm juvenile homicide rates are analyzed by age, sex, and race for different urbanization levels. 1979 through 1989 data, from the Compressed Mortality File, a county-level national mortality and population database (National Center for Health Statistics) which includes white and black racial groups only, were utilized. Firearm homicides were defined by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Injuries, and Causes of Death, Ninth Revision (ICD-9), and include codes E965.0 through E965.4 or E970. Non-firearm homicide are ICD-9 codes E960 through E964, E965.5 through E969, or E971 through E978. The counties were categorized by level of urbanization using the 1980 Human Resource Profile county codes (HRPC). "Core" counties contained the primary central city of a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and a 1980 population of over 1 million. "Fringe" counties were defined as MSAs with populations of over 1 million. "Medium" counties were defined as MSAs with populations between 250,000 and 1 million. "Small" counties were defined as populations less than 250,000. "Non-metropolitan" counties were defined as not part of an MSA. "Differences between death rates are considered significant at P<=0. 05 using a two-tailed t test of the difference between rates. Weighted least-squares regression was used to fit a line to the logarithm of the death rates for each period. The weight used was the number of deaths. A X2 test was used to assess goodness of fit." FINDINGS/DISCUSSION: The 1989 firearm homicide rate in metropolitan counties was nearly five times the rate in non-metropolitan counties. Firearm homicide rates were highest in core metropolitan counties, (27.7/100,000) compared to non-metropolitan counties (2.9/100,000). Firearm homicide rates were highest for black males and lowest for white females in all five urbanization strata for 1979 through 1989. In the core counties, the homicide rate for black males was 143. 9/100,000 while the homicide rate for male and female, blacks and whites was 27.7/100,000. From 1979 through 1984, firearm homicide rates declined in each of the county strata. From 1984 through 1987 firearm homicide rates increased, and from 1987 through 1989 they increased rapidly in the four metropolitan strata (34.5% per year in the small strata, 23. 9% in the medium, 23.3% in the fringe, and 27.8% in the core). The non-firearm homicide rate in metropolitan counties was only 1. 4 times the rate in non-metropolitan counties. The non-firearm through 1989 non-firearm homicide rates declined or remained stable from 1979 through 1989. AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS: The authors stated that, "A more focused analysis is needed to identify counties within these strata where the rates are highest and increasing the fastest. This is necessary in the effort to develop appropriate intervention strategies." (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado) KW - 1980s KW - 1970s KW - Firearms Homicide KW - Firearms Violence KW - Homicide Rates KW - Homicide Incidence and Prevalence KW - Homicide Offender KW - Homicide Victim KW - Victimization Rates KW - Juvenile Victim KW - Juvenile Offender KW - Juvenile Violence KW - Urban Youth KW - Urban Violence KW - Juvenile Firearms Use KW - Late Adolescence KW - Early Adolescence |