Mental Health Care Following Firearm and Motor Vehicle-related Injuries: Differences Impacting Our Treatment Strategies.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-2022

Identifier

DOI: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005557

Abstract

Objective: To compare new mental health diagnoses (NMHD) in children after a firearm injury versus following a motor vehicle collision (MVC).

Background: A knowledge gap exists regarding childhood mental health diagnoses following firearm injuries, notably in comparison to other forms of traumatic injury.

Methods: We utilized Medicaid MarketScan claims (2010-2016) to conduct a matched case-control study of children ages 3 to 17 years. Children with firearm injuries were matched with up to 3 children with MVC injuries. Severity was determined by injury severity score and emergency department disposition. We used multivariable logistic regression to measure the association of acquiring a NMHD diagnosis in the year postinjury after firearm and MVC mechanisms.

Results: We matched 1450 children with firearm injuries to 3691 children with MVC injuries. Compared to MVC injuries, children with firearm injuries were more likely to be black, have higher injury severity score, and receive hospital admission from the emergency department ( P

Conclusions: Children were found to have 50% increased odds of having a NMHD in the year following a firearm injury as compared to MVC. Programmatic interventions are needed to address children's mental health following firearm injuries.

Journal Title

Annals of surgery

Volume

276

Issue

3

First Page

463

Last Page

471

MeSH Keywords

Adolescent; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child, Preschool; Firearms; Humans; Mental Health; Motor Vehicles; Retrospective Studies; United States; Wounds, Gunshot

Keywords

Case-Control Studies; Firearms; Mental Health; Motor Vehicles; Retrospective Studies; United States; Gunshot Wounds

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