Online Program

334579
Gun Violence and its impact on Children:Using National Violent Death Reporting System to Study Children Ages 2-4


Wednesday, November 4, 2015 : 12:30 p.m. - 12:48 p.m.

David Hemenway, PhD, Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Background

In the United States, children ages 2-14 have far higher rates of homicide victimization from firearms and somewhat higher rates of non-firearm homicide victimization compared to children in other developed countries. Between 2001-2013, over 7,000 US children in this age group were murdered. Little is known about the circumstances of homicide around children ages 2-14, as child death investigations are usually dominated by analyses of homicide of older teens and infants.

Methods 

Using both qualitative and cluster analytic techniques, we will create topologies of incidents for relevant age groupings that will be useful for practitioners and policymakers. This presentation will use detailed data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) to increase knowledge about the homicide of children ages 2-14. The NVDRS is a relatively new data system with 18 states currently reporting all violent deaths; the system has rarely been used to investigate children’s violent deaths. While the NVDRS contains a wealth of information in its narratives, few researchers have used this information. 

Outcomes

We will read the case narratives and compare and contrast incidents for the following: (a) at home versus away from home; (b) where the victim is male versus female; (c) where the perpetrator is a family member versus a stranger; and (d) whether a firearm was used.

Conclusions

The overarching goal is to provide a small number of specific types or scenarios into which most of the incidents fall.

Learning Areas:

Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Epidemiology
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Compare and contrast incidents of gun violence in young children.

Keyword(s): Violence & Injury Prevention, Pediatrics

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a Professor at Harvard School of Public Health and Director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center. Received the Excellence in Science award from the injury section of APHA and been recognized by CDC as one of the 20 most influential injury and violence professionals. One of his books, Private Guns Public Health and more than 80 of his published journal articles deal with firearms and violent death.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.