TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2020//
TI  - The inter-relationship between employment status and interpersonal violence in Malawi: a trauma center experience
JO  - World journal of surgery
A1  - Purcell, Laura N.
A1  - Kayange, Linda
A1  - Gallaher, Jared
A1  - Varela, Carlos
A1  - Charles, Anthony
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - INTRODUCTION: As a proportion of the overall population, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the highest youth demographic, composing 60% of Africa's unemployed. With the worsening economic crisis in low- and middle-income countries, unengaged youth are susceptible to gang violence and anti-government demonstrations, resulting in political instability.     METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of the Kamuzu Central Hospital Trauma Registry from 2008-2018. All adult patients (>14 years) injured by interpersonal violence (IPV) were included. Age was categorized as 15-24 (youth), 25-45, and >45 years. A bivariate analysis (IPV versus unintentional injury), and Poisson multivariable analysis were performed to identify factors increasing the risk of IPV.     RESULTS: During the study, 87,338 trauma patients presented; 30,532 (35.0%) were injured following IPV. Patients injured following IPV (28 years, IQR 23-34) were younger than those unintentionally injured (30 years, IQR 23-39, p < 0.001). More patients injured following IPV were unemployed (n = 7,178, 23.6% vs. n = 10,148, 17.9%, p < 0.001), injured at night (n = 19,346, 63.7% vs. n = 10,148, 17.9%, p < 0.001), and reported alcohol use (n = 4.973, 16.4% vs n = 2,461, 4.4%, p < 0.001). Being unemployed (RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.22-1.27), youth compared to age >45 years (RR 1.72, 1.66-1.79), and those injured at night (RR 2.18, 95% CI 2.14-2.23) had increased the risk of being victims of IPV.     CONCLUSION: In Malawi, there is an interrelationship between unemployment and IPV, particularly in the youth population. Given impending demographic realities, government and non-government organizations should prioritize youth employment to help defer political instability in vulnerable nation-states.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0364-2313
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00268-020-05592-1
ID  - ref1
ER  -