Firearms-related injury and sex: a comparative National Trauma Database (NTDB) Study
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
1-1-2023
Journal
Trauma surgery & acute care open
Volume
8
Issue
1
DOI
10.1136/tsaco-2023-001181
Keywords
Wounds, Gunshot; gender; morbidity; mortality
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Existing study findings on firearms-related injury patterns are largely skewed towards males, who comprise the majority of this injury population. Given the paucity of existing data for females with these injuries, we aimed to elucidate the demographics, injury patterns, and outcomes of firearms-related injury in females compared with males in the USA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 7-year (2013-2019) retrospective review of the National Trauma Database was conducted to identify all adult patients who suffered firearms-related injuries. Patients who were males were matched (1:1, caliper 0.2) to patients who were females by demographics, comorbidities, injury patterns and severity, and payment method, to compare differences in mortality and several other post-injury outcomes. RESULTS: There were 196 696 patients admitted after firearms-related injury during the study period. Of these patients, 23 379 (11.9%) were females, 23 378 of whom were successfully matched to a male counterpart. After matching, females had a lower rate of in-hospital mortality (18.6% vs. 20.0%, p<0.001), deep vein thrombosis (1.2% vs. 1.5%, p=0.014), and had a lower incidence of drug or alcohol withdrawal syndrome (0.2% vs. 0.5%, p<0.001) compared with males. CONCLUSION: Female victims of firearms-related injuries experience lower rates of mortality and complications compared with males. Further studies are needed to elucidate the cause of these differences. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.
APA Citation
Zwemer, Catherine; Kartiko, Susan; Forssten, Maximilian Peter; Zebley, James A.; Hughes, Joy Dowden; Sarani, Babak; and Mohseni, Shahin, "Firearms-related injury and sex: a comparative National Trauma Database (NTDB) Study" (2023). GW Authored Works. Paper 3765.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/3765
Department
Surgery