K. L. Haines1, C. Warner-Hillard1, S. Agarwal1, H. Jung1 1University Of Wisconsin,Surgery,Madison, WI, USA
Introduction: We sought to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status on mortality in firearm related mortality.
Methods: The National Trauma Databank was queried for all firearm related injury patients from 2010-2015. Pearson-Chi2 univariate regressions were run on patient comorbidities to determine what patient factors significantly contributed to mortality. Multivariate logistic regression models to stratify incidence and outcomes for all patients with firearm related injuries were created using significant covariates, age, gender, and injury severity. Subgroup logistic models were also created for self-inflicted, accidental, and assault injuries.
Results: There were 170,140 firearm related injuries in that time period. The firearm mortality rate was 2.17%. The incidence of firearm related injury was higher in younger patient (18-45 years, n=126,267, 74%). Younger patients had a higher had a significantly higher mortality rate than older patients on chi2analysis (p<0.001). However, when controlling for other risk factors, age was a significant, independent risk factor for mortality (p<0.001).
Uninsured patients who sustained a firearm related assault injury and self-inflicted injury were more likely to die than patients with any other form of insurance (OR 1.4, OR1.2, p < 0.001; respectively). Race did not impact mortality except in Black patients after firearm related assault injuries (OR 0.76 p<0.001). Patients with previously diagnosed psychiatric illnesses were less likely to die from self-inflicted GSW. Socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity did not affect mortality for accidental firearm related injuries. Self-inflicted firearm related injury patients were eight times more likely to die as compared to accidental or assault injury patients (CI 3.3-19.7).
Conclusion: While firearm related injury is more prevalent in younger patients, age is an independent risk factor for mortality. Uninsured firearm related assault and self-inflicted injury patients are more likely to die than those patient with any form of insurance.