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Citation
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Nehra D, Bulger EM, Maier RV, Moloney KE, Russo J, Wang J, Anderson K, Zatzick DF. Ann. Surg. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: To describe the demographic, injury-related and mental health characteristics of firearm injury patients and trace firearm weapon carriage and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms over the year following injury. SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND DATA: Based on the increasing incidence of firearm injury and need for novel injury prevention strategies, hospital-based violence intervention programs are being implemented in US trauma centers. There is limited data on the long-term outcomes and risk behaviors of firearm injury survivors to guide this work.
METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of a pragmatic 25-trauma center randomized trial (N = 635). Baseline characteristics of firearm-injured patients (N = 128) were compared with other trauma patients. Mixed model regression was used to identify risk factors for post-injury firearm weapon carriage and PTSD symptoms.
RESULTS: Firearm injury patients were younger and more likely to be black, male and of lower socioeconomic status and more likely to carry a firearm in the year prior to injury. Relative to pre-injury, there was a significant drop in firearm weapon carriage at 3- and 6-months post-injury, followed by a return to pre-injury levels at 12-months. Firearm injury was significantly and independently associated with an increased risk of post-injury firearm weapon carriage (Relative Risk = 2.08,95% CI[1.34, 3.22],p < 0.01) and higher PTSD symptom levels (Beta = 3.82,95% CI[1.29, 6.35],p < 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: Firearm injury survivors are at risk for firearm carriage and high PTSD symptom levels post-injury. The significant decrease in the high-risk behavior of firearm weapon carriage at 3-6 months post-injury suggests that there is an important post-injury "teachable moment" that should be targeted with preventive interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02655354.
Language: en |