Individual and Neighborhood Characteristics of Children Seeking Emergency Department Care for Firearm Injuries Within the <scp>PECARN</scp> Network

Abstract

Among children receiving ED treatment within the PECARN network, there are distinct demographic and neighborhood factors associated with firearm injuries. Among younger children (<10 years old), unintentional injuries predominate, while assault-type injuries were most common among older adolescents. Overall, among this PECARN patient population, male adolescents living in neighborhoods characterized by high levels of concentrated disadvantage had an elevated risk for firearm injury. Public health efforts should focus on developing and implementing initiatives addressing risk factors at both the individual and the community level, including ED-based interventions to reduce the risk for firearm injuries among high-risk pediatric populations.