epidemiology-2016_scientifictracks-abstracts

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Volume 6, Issue 5(Suppl) Epidemiology (Sunnyvale)
ISSN: 2161-1165 ECR, Open Access
Page 68
Notes:
Epidemiology 2016
October 3-5, 2016
conferenceseries.com
Epidemiology & Public HealthOctober 3-5, 2016|London, UK
4th International Conference on
VISITS TO EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT FOR FIREARM INJURIES IN THE USA
Lin Mua
aYale School of Medicine, USA
Background: Firearm injury leads to significant morbidity and mortality with large demographic and geographic differences.
This study examines the prevalence and characteristics of emergency department (ED) visits due to firearm injuries in the
United States.
Methods: Data were obtained from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (2003-2012), a nationally
representative study of visits to the hospital EDs conducted annually by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Available information included visit reason, injury cause, and patient characteristics. We identified visits related to firearm
injuries with the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes and studied the weighted
prevalence, characteristics, and odds ratios of firearm-injury visits.
Results: Approximately 92 thousand ED visits occurred annually that were caused by firearm injuries, a weighted prevalence
of 0.075% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.063%-0.090%), including 40.6% (33.3%-48.4%) intentional injuries and 31.1%
(24.5%-38.7%) unintentional injuries. Among these visits, 85.9% (80.3%-90.1%) were frommen (odds ratio [OR]: 7.31, 95%CI:
4.89-10.95, for ED visits due to firearm injuries versus not), 44.8% (38.0%-51.8%) from those aged 15-24 (OR: 4.76, 2.87-7.90,
compared to those aged 45-64), 37.4% (30.7%-44.7%) aged 25-44 (OR: 2.22, 1.30-3.79), 41.4% (33.1%-50.2%) non-Hispanic
blacks (OR: 2.88, 2.01-4.12, compared to non-Hispanic whites), 47.3% (36.4%-58.5%) from the South (OR: 2.50, 1.44-4.33,
compared to the Northeast), and 88.2% (75.1%-94.8%) from metropolitan areas (OR: 1.43, 0.70-2.91).
Conclusions: Over 90 thousand ED visits occur annually due to firearm injuries in the U.S. with men, people aged 15-44, non-
Hispanic blacks, and those from the South at higher risks.
Biography
Lin Mu graduated summa cum laude from Denison University with a BS in Biology and a BA in economics. Later, he conducted research for three years in the
Division of General Medicine and the Harvard Catalyst Clinical Research Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Currently, he is completing an MD
degree while continuing research at Yale School of Medicine. Lin has led several clinical and population research projects, published on topics related to chronic
disease and epidemiology, and been frequently invited to present at national medical and public health conferences.
Lin Mu, Epidemiology (Sunnyvale), 6:5(Suppl)