Premium
Screening Adolescents in the Emergency Department for Weapon Carriage
Author(s) -
Cunningham Rebecca M.,
Resko Stella M.,
Harrison Stephanie Roahen,
Zimmerman Marc,
Stanley Rachel,
Chermack Stephen T.,
Walton Maureen A.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
academic emergency medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.221
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1553-2712
pISSN - 1069-6563
DOI - 10.1111/j.1553-2712.2009.00639.x
Subject(s) - medicine , emergency department , carriage , demographics , poisson regression , family medicine , injury prevention , suicide prevention , medical emergency , poison control , demography , emergency medicine , population , psychiatry , environmental health , pathology , sociology
Objectives: The objective was to describe the prevalence and correlates of past‐year weapon involvement among adolescents seeking care in an inner‐city emergency department (ED). Methods: This cross‐sectional study administered a computerized survey to all eligible adolescents (age 14–18 years), 7 days a week, who were seeking care over an 18‐month period at an inner‐city Level 1 ED. Validated measures were administered, including measures of demographics, sexual activity, substance use, injury, violent behavior, weapon carriage, and/or weapon use. Zero‐inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression models were used to identify correlates of the occurrence and past‐year frequency of these weapons variables. Results: Adolescents ( n = 2069, 86% response rate) completed the computerized survey. Fifty‐five percent were female; 56.5% were African American. In the past year, 20% of adolescents reported knife or razor carriage, 7% reported gun carriage, and 6% pulled a knife or gun on someone. Although gun carriage was more frequent among males, females were as likely to carry a knife or pull a weapon in the past year. Conclusions: One‐fifth of all adolescents seeking care in this inner‐city ED have carried a weapon. Understanding weapon carriage among teens seeking ED care is a critical first step to future ED‐based injury prevention initiatives. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:168–176 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine