Morbidity and Mortality Related to Firearm Injuries
The overall annual rates of nonfatal and fatal firearm-related injuries in the United States declined consistently from 1993 through 1997, according to a recent report. The annual nonfatal rate decreased by 40.8 percent, from 40.5 per 100,000 persons in 1993 to 24.0 per 100,000 persons in 1997. The annual mortality rate also declined by 21.1 percent, from 15.4 per 100,000 persons in 1993 to 12.1 per 100,000 persons in 1997. The report appears in the November 19, 1999 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
A firearm-related injury was defined as a penetrating injury or gunshot wound caused by a weapon that uses a powder charge to fire a projectile (e.g., handguns, rifles and shotguns). Data on nonfatal firearm-related injuries that were treated in the emergency departments of U.S. hospitals were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The declines in the rates of nonfatal and fatal firearm-related injury were generally consistent across all population subgroups. The decreases in the rates of nonfatal and fatal injury were similar in men and women. Declines in fatality rates in blacks and Hispanics were similar, and were both greater than the decline in non-Hispanic whites. In the rates of nonfatal injury, no consistent pattern was seen in the estimated decline across age groups, but in the rates of fatal injury, age and percentage change were inversely related.
To examine trends in the rates of nonfatal firearm-related injury, cases with unknown intent were allocated to one of three known categories: assault/legal intervention, intentionally self-inflicted and unintentional injury. Most of the nonfatal injuries occurred among men 15 to 44 years of age, were self-inflicted and were associated with hunting, target shooting and routine gun handling.
Numerous factors may have contributed to the decline in the rates of nonfatal and fatal assaultive firearm-related injury. These factors include: improvements in economic conditions; the aging of the population; the decline in the “crack” cocaine market; changes in legislation, sentencing guidelines and law-enforcement practices; and improvements associated with violence prevention programs.