Firearm violence among high-risk emergency department youth after an assault injury.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The risk for firearm violence among high-risk youth after treatment for an assault is unknown.

Methods

In this 2-year prospective cohort study, data were analyzed from a consecutive sample of 14- to 24-year-olds with drug use in the past 6 months seeking assault-injury care (AIG) at an urban level 1 emergency department (ED) compared with a proportionally sampled comparison group (CG) of drug-using nonassaulted youth. Validated measures were administered at baseline and follow-up (6, 12, 18, 24 months).

Results

A total of 349 AIG and 250 CG youth were followed for 24 months. During the follow-up period, 59% of the AIG reported firearm violence, a 40% higher risk than was observed among the CG (59.0% vs. 42.5%; relative risk [RR] = 1.39). Among those reporti

SUBMITTER: Carter PM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4411782 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature