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Citation
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Burchard PR, Poleshuck EL, Yates EH, Cerulli C, Gestring ML, Vella MA. J. Am. Coll. Surg. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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We read with great interest the article by Abdallah and colleagues1 describing the increase in firearm violence related to social isolation in Philadelphia. We commend the authors for highlighting the need for public health measures aimed at violence prevention during quarantine.
As trauma surgeons in Rochester, NY (population 208,000), we believed our penetrating trauma volume also increased significantly after implementation of the New York State stay-at-home order (SAHO) on March 22, 2020. However, our data revealed this was not the case. Instead, through communication with our partners in psychology, social services, and law enforcement, we uncovered other concerning trends related to intimate partner violence (IPV) that provide a slightly different perspective from our smaller city.
From March 22 to May 15, 2020 (the time between initiation of state SAHO and the start of phase 1 reopening), we evaluated 190 total trauma patients, a 3% decrease in volume compared with the corresponding period in 2019. Penetrating injuries decreased by 2%, and injuries related to self-harm and IPV did not change significantly. Volume of trauma operations was identical and, in 2020, patients were less severely injured overall. Data from the Rochester Police Department2 and Monroe County Sheriff's Office (Kennedy J, email communication, 2020) show firearm violence began increasing in January 2020 compared with the preceding months, as well as the corresponding time period in 2019. This is attributed to increases in drug and gang-related activity, highlighting the important point that “violence does not quarantine.”
The effects of social isolation on IPV have been discussed previously. Data from our local domestic violence center show the number of IPV-related calls increased 14% to 20% during March through May compared with 2019 (Yates E.H., email communication, 2020). As a comparison, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office responded to 70 IPV incidents during the SAHO compared with 83 during the corresponding time period in 2019. These numbers do not account for all incidents across the region, but they do hint at a potential disconnect between calls to the domestic violence center and events reported to police and medical professionals.
Rochester is unique with respect to IPV; the city and surrounding county rank among the highest in the state in police reports of IPV per capita.5 In addition, we have IPV-specific services embedded in our healthcare system, including ...
Language: en |