TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2010//
TI  - Variation in Pediatric and Adolescent Firearm Mortality Rates in Rural and Urban US Counties
JO  - Pediatrics
A1  - Nance, Michael L.
A1  - Carr, Brendan G.
A1  - Kallan, Michael J.
A1  - Branas, Charles C.
A1  - Wiebe, Douglas J.
SP  - 1112
EP  - 1118
VL  - 125
IS  - 6
N2  - Objective: We examined whether firearm mortality rates among children varied across US counties along a rural-urban continuum. Methods: US vital statistics data were accessed for all pediatric (age: 0-19 years) firearm deaths from 1999 through 2006. Deaths were analyzed according to a modified rural-urban continuum code (based on population size and proximity to metropolitan areas) assigned to each county (3141 counties). Results: In the 8-year study period, there were 23 649 pediatric firearm deaths (15 190 homicides, 7082 suicides, and 1377 unintentional deaths). Pediatric nonfirearm mortality rates were significantly higher in the most-rural counties (adjusted rate ratio: 1.36 95% confidence interval CI.: 1.13-1.64.), compared with the most-urban counties. The most-rural counties demonstrated virtually identical pediatric firearm mortality rates (adjusted rate ratio: 0.91 95% CI: 0.63-1.32.), compared with the most-urban counties. The most-rural counties had higher rates of pediatric firearm suicide (adjusted rate ratio: 2.01 95% CI: 1.43-2.83.) and unintentional firearm death (adjusted rate ratio: 2.19 95% CI: 1.27-3.77.), compared with the most-urban counties. Pediatric firearm homicides rates were significantly higher in the most-urban counties (adjusted rate ratio: 3.69 95% CI: 2.00-6.80.), compared with the most-rural counties. Conclusions: Children in the most-rural US counties had firearm mortality rates that were statistically indistinguishable from those for children in the most-urban counties. This finding reflects a greater homicide rate in urban counties counterbalanced by greater suicide and unintentional firearm death rates in rural counties. Nonfirearm mortality rates were significantly greater outside the most-urban US counties.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0031-4005
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-3219
ID  - ref1
ER  -