scholarly journals Unintentional firearm deaths in the United States 2005–2015

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara J. Solnick ◽  
David Hemenway
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Reporting System ◽  
The United States ◽  
Violent Death ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Narrow Scope ◽  
Final Count ◽  
Firearm Safety ◽  
Single State ◽  
Detailed Nature

Abstract Background Unintentional gun death occurs four times more often in the United States than other high-income countries. Research on these deaths typically has a narrow scope. We believe this is the first study describing the circumstances of these deaths in the United States that covers more than a single state or municipality. Methods We use data on all unintentional firearm fatalities in the sixteen states reporting to the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) for all years 2005–2015. Our final count of unintentional firearm deaths in these states and years is 1260. The detailed nature of the data allows us to categorize and compare the circumstances of the incident. Results We estimate 430 unintentional firearm fatalities in the United States per year. The rate is highest for older children to young adults, ages 10 to 29, and the vast majority of the victims are male. Common circumstances include playing with the gun (28.3% of incidents), thinking the gun was unloaded (17.2%), and hunting (13.8%). The victim is suspected to have consumed alcohol in nearly a quarter of the deaths and in 46.8% of deaths among those aged 20–29. Conclusions Certain circumstances, such as consuming alcohol, playing with the gun, and hunting, are common settings for unintentional firearm deaths. Firearm safety instructors, firearm manufacturers, and firearm owners can all contribute to preventing these deaths.

Pregnant Victims of Intimate Partner Homicide in the National Violent Death Reporting System Database, 2003–2014: A Descriptive Analysis

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052094372
Author(s):  
Penelope K. Morrison ◽  
Chelsea Pallatino ◽  
Rachel A. Fusco ◽  
Tanya Kenkre ◽  
Judy Chang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Reporting System ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Violent Death ◽  
Intimate Partner Homicide ◽  
Service Engagement ◽  
History Of

Intimate partner homicide (IPH) is a leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States. However, very little information exists as to the circumstantial factors associated with IPH during pregnancy. We conducted a descriptive study of the demographic characteristics, psychosocial service engagement, and crises experiences (i.e., life and relationship stressors) among pregnant and nonpregnant victims to understand what differences, if any, exist in their risk profile for IPH. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) were used for this study. The NVDRS is a national opt-in tracking system of all violent deaths in the United States. Pregnant victims ( N = 293) were significantly more likely to be 5 years younger than nonpregnant victims, African American, and never married. Pregnant victims were more likely to be seen in the emergency room following the fatal incident. Nonpregnant victims ( N = 2,089) were significantly more likely to have suspected alcohol use at the time of their death. In strictly proportional terms, we also observed higher rates of mental health problems, a history of mental health treatment, and a reported history of intimate partner violence (IPV), crisis, or family problems among nonpregnant victims. A wider range of IPH-related risk factors (e.g. substance abuse) need to be included IPV assessments. Future studies should seek to develop effective interventions to prevent IPH, particularly among reproductive aged women.

Descriptive Epidemiology of Homicides With Victim and Suspect Race or Hispanic Ethnicity Discordance in the United States: Analysis of National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) 2005-2015

2019 ◽  
pp. 088626051986165
Author(s):  
Cara L. Frankenfeld ◽  
Timothy F. Leslie
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Race And Ethnicity ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Reporting System ◽  
National Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Violent Death ◽  
Hispanic Ethnicity ◽  
Race Ethnicity

Cross-racial violence is a high-profile issue in the United States; however, there is little empirical research on the epidemiology of cross-racial homicides. The objective of this work was to use national-level data to evaluate the characteristics of homicides in which the victim and suspect are of the same or different race or Hispanic ethnicity. Victims and suspects from National Violent Death Reporting System data (2005-2015) were classified into seven-categories on the basis of race/ethnicity (six non-Hispanic races or Hispanic ethnicity), and 51,454 homicide events were classified as concordant (same race or ethnicity), discordant (different race or ethnicity), or unknown (missing race or ethnicity or no suspect information). While discordancy was observed to be similar across all race and ethnicity groups, it was less likely with relatives, romantic partners, and relatives of romantic partners; less likely to occur at home; less likely to occur in intimate partner violence–related homicides; less likely when the homicide was preceded by an argument over money or property; less likely when the homicide was associated with a family problem; more likely among rival gangs and strangers than other known person relationships; and more likely with drug-involved homicides. There were differences for victims of non-Hispanic Black race. Notably, discordance was more likely for justifiable self-defense and more likely with victim having used a weapon. These results suggest that discordant homicides may follow patterns of peer groups and close relationships in society regardless of victim race/ethnicity, that is, individuals may form closer relationships with individuals of the same race/ethnicity.

Violent Death in Children in a Metropolitan County: Changing Patterns of Homicide, 1958 to 1982

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 78 (6) ◽  
pp. 1013-1020
Author(s):  
Jerome A. Paulson ◽  
Norman B. Rushforth
Keyword(s):  
Community Violence ◽  
The United States ◽  
Adolescent And Young Adult ◽  
Violent Death ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Death Rates ◽  
Adult Men ◽  
Metropolitan County ◽  
Changing Patterns ◽  
Fatal Child Abuse

Death rates from homicide in children younger than 15 years of age in the United States have increased during the last 30 years. Previous studies have suggested a typology consisting of fatal child abuse in young children and community violence in older children. We reviewed the data from the Cuyahoga County, Ohio, coroner's office pertaining to homicides in children less than 15 years of age between 1958 and 1982 and obtained similar findings. The homicide rates for city children increased from 1.1 to 6.7/100,000 in the first 20 years and then stabilized. Nonwhite boys had the highest death rates except in one period. Assailants were usually adolescent and young adult men of the same race; however, 43% of children less than 5 years of age were killed by women. The older the child, the more likely the homicide was to have been committed by a nonrelative, outside of the home, and with a firearm. Overall, firearms are the leading cause of homicide (36.2%). The temporal characteristics of child homicides are also described.

CASE FATALITY IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN WITH PERTUSSIS, 1942-1946

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1950 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 840-852
Author(s):  
JEROME L. KOHN ◽  
ALFRED E. FISCHER ◽  
HERBERT H. MARKS
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Case Fatality Rate ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fatality Rate ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Severity Of The Disease ◽  
One Year ◽  
In Infants And Children

Analysis of data on patients with pertussis during 1942-1946 obtained by means of a questionnaire from communicable disease hospitals and from health officers in a number of cities in the United States and Canada showed these results: Case fatality rates of patients admitted to hospitals for treatment have declined substantially in the period under review. This decline is general, both among infants under one year of age and among older children. In 1946, the case fatality rate of the infants hospitalized for the disease was 5.0% in those cities for which data for at least four years were available. This may be compared with the rate of 7.8% in 1942 and 11.1% in 1943. At ages one year and over, the rate was only 1.3% in 1946, as compared with 1.7% in 1942 and 3.7% in 1943. The rates in the hospitals with larger experiences were generally more favorable than in hospitals with smaller experiences. Despite the incomplete reporting of pertussis, which results in exaggerating the case fatality rate for the general population, the level of these rates in the community as a whole was lower than for hospitalized cases. This reflects the higher proportion of the severer cases in the hospitalized group. Indications are that in many places hospitalization is limited more and more to severe cases. Progress in the management of pertussis, especially of the severer cases admitted to hospitals, is believed to be the chief factor in the decline in case fatality of pertussis. A request contained in the questionnaire for an opinion on the severity of pertussis during the period studied elicited few replies, and these replies showed a division of opinion on the matter. It appears unlikely that there has been much of any change in the severity of the disease.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document