TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2022//
TI  - The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on community violence in Connecticut
JO  - American journal of surgery
A1  - O'Neill, Kathleen M.
A1  - Dodington, James
A1  - Gawel, Marcie
A1  - Borrup, Kevin
A1  - Shapiro, David S.
A1  - Gates, Jonathan
A1  - Gregg, Shea
A1  - Becher, Robert D.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - INTRODUCTION: Natural disasters may lead to increases in community violence due to broad social disruption, economic hardship, and large-scale morbidity and mortality. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on community violence is unknown. <br><br>METHODS: Using trauma registry data on all violence-related patient presentations in Connecticut from 2018 to 2021, we compared the pattern of violence-related trauma from pre-COVID and COVID pandemic using an interrupted time series linear regression model. <br><br>RESULTS: There was a 55% increase in violence-related trauma in the COVID period compared with the pre-COVID period (IRR: 1.55; 95%CI: 1.34-1.80; p-value<0.001) driven largely by penetrating injuries. This increase disproportionately impacted Black/Latinx communities (IRR: 1.61; 95%CI: 1.36-1.90; p-value<0.001). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Violence-related trauma increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased community violence is a significant and underappreciated negative health and social consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and one that excessively burdens communities already at increased risk from systemic health and social inequities.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0002-9610
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2022.10.004
ID  - ref1
ER  -