Factors associated with violence-related injuries among youths in Omaha, Nebraska

Youth violence is the leading cause of injury and death among adolescents between the ages of 10 and 24. The number of violence-related injuries treated in emergency departments in the U.S. has steadily increased in the last few years, from 656,000 in 2007 to nearly 2 million cases per year in 2009. An increase in youth violence in Omaha, NE, has created the need to better understand the risk factors associated with violent-related incidents. Trauma data from one medical center were used to identify risk factors associated with violence-related injuries and their outcomes for youth ages 10-25 from 2002 to 2010. Patients admitted for violence-related injuries were compared to those of patients admitted for non-violence-related injuries, occurring within the same age group in Omaha, NE. A total of 1478 records were obtained from the trauma registry. Of this sample, 376 patients (25%) were admitted for violence-related injuries. Fifty-two percent of these injuries were due to gunshots. The proportion of males was higher in the violence-related injury group (84% vs. 65%, p<0.001). Black patients (55%) constituted the majority of the violence-related injury group. Drug use was 9% higher among those hospitalized for violence-related injuries (22% vs. 13%, p=0.002). By identifying characteristics of those involved in violence-related incidents, prevention strategies will be developed and evaluated. The use of qualitative and quantitative data for prevention program development will be discussed.