Increases in adolescent firearm injuries were associated with school closures during COVID-19.

Autor: Bliton JN; Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, USA. Electronic address: jbliton@jhmc.org., Paul J; WellStar Atlanta Medical Center, USA., Smith AD; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, USA., Duran RG; Ross University School of Medicine, USA., Sola R Jr; Morehouse School of Medicine, USA; Grady Memorial Hospital, USA., Chaudhary S; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, USA; Emory University School of Medicine, USA., Fraser Doh K; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, USA; Emory University School of Medicine, USA., Koganti D; Grady Memorial Hospital, USA; Emory University School of Medicine, USA., Dantes G; Emory University School of Medicine, USA., Hernandez Irizarry RC; Grady Memorial Hospital, USA; Emory University School of Medicine, USA., Bonsu JM; Grady Memorial Hospital, USA., Welch TT; Gwinnett County Public Schools, USA., Richard RA; Gwinnett County Public Schools, USA., Smith RN; Grady Memorial Hospital, USA; Emory University School of Medicine, USA; Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, USA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Injury [Injury] 2023 Aug; Vol. 54 (8), pp. 110824. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Jun 07.
DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2023.05.055
Abstrakt: Background: Mitigation measures, including school closures, were enacted to protect the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the negative effects of mitigation measures are not fully known. Adolescents are uniquely vulnerable to policy changes since many depend on schools for physical, mental, and/or nutritional support.  This study explores the statistical relationships between school closures and adolescent firearm injuries (AFI) during the pandemic.
Methods: Data were drawn from a collaborative registry of 4 trauma centers in Atlanta, GA (2 adult and 2 pediatric). Firearm injuries affecting adolescents aged 11-21 years from 1/1/2016 to 6/30/2021 were evaluated. Local economic and COVID data were obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Georgia Department of Health. Linear models of AFI were created based on COVID cases, school closure, unemployment, and wage changes.
Results: There were 1,330 AFI at Atlanta trauma centers during the study period, 1,130 of whom resided in the 10 metro counties. A significant spike in injuries was observed during Spring 2020. A season-adjusted time series of AFI was found to be non- stationary (p = 0.60). After adjustment for unemployment, seasonal variation, wage changes, county baseline injury rate, and county-level COVID incidence, each additional day of unplanned school closure in Atlanta was associated with 0.69 (95% CI 0.34- 1.04, p < 0.001) additional AFIs across the city.
Conclusion: AFI increased during the COVID pandemic. This rise in violence is statistically attributable in part to school closures after adjustment for COVID cases, unemployment, and seasonal variation. These findings reinforce the need to consider the direct implications on public health and adolescent safety when implementing public policy.
Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
(Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
Externí odkaz: