Trends of Self-Inflicted Firearm Injuries at a Rural Level 1 Trauma Center

This study included 201 patients, of which 124 (61.7%) were accidental and 77 (38.3%) were intentional self-inflicted gunshot wounds (GSWs) sustained over 6 years at a rural level 1 trauma center. Injury severity scores (P < .001), hospital days (P < .001), and mortality (P < .001) were significantly higher among intentional self-inflicted GSWs. Injuries to the head were the most common injury among patients with intentional self-inflicted GSWs (P < .001).Accidental and intentional self-inflicted GSWs make up a large portion of firearm injuries seen at our rural level 1 trauma center, and defining these injuries can facilitate the need for targeted gun safety and injury prevention efforts.PMID:38551607 | DOI:10.1177/00031348241241633

Source: The American Surgeon - March 29, 2024 Category: Surgery Authors: Aliya G Burns Alex P Rasarmos Matthew A Leonard Hannah W Collins J Bracken Burns Source Type: research