Citation

Lunardi N, Sakran JV. JAMA Surg. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, American Medical Association)

DOI

10.1001/jamasurg.2022.5304

PMID

36322081

Abstract

The far-reaching, adverse outcomes of firearm-related injuries have been described in the literature, including poor mental health sequelae.1,2 In this issue of JAMA Surgery, Oddo and colleagues3 identified that insured children and adolescents, aged 0 to 17 years, in the US who experienced a nonfatal firearm-related injury were 1.40 times more likely to utilize mental health services in the 12 months following their injury compared with uninjured youths. Among those injured, Black youths were 1.64 times more likely to utilize these services than were White youths. We applaud these authors for taking an innovative approach to shed light on an important research question. The results of their study are concerning and should be further explored as we develop multifaceted solutions to tackle this public health problem.

Language: en