Dive Brief:
- A new study of gunshot victims saved by trauma surgeons finds that they are as likely to be alive nine years out as victims of accidental trauma, even if the gunshot victims live in violent neighborhoods.
- The study, published online in the Annals of Surgery, compared long-term survival rates for victims of intentional injuries like gunshots and stabbings, versus those treated for accidental causes like car crashes.
- After looking at the demographics of the patients studied, it appears that "violence can be understood as a disease of poverty," the study concludes. "The symptoms are treated in the ED, but the underlying cause remains untouched in the environments of deprivation."
Dive Insight:
Nobody knows better than a trauma surgeon working in a Level I or Level II trauma center what the ugly results of poverty and desperation look like. So it's good to hear that hospitals are considering instituting programs to address some of the root causes of this violence, such as youth gang membership. Hospitals definitely have something to add to the mix here, whether it's by visiting community organizations, connecting with neighborhood leaders or working with kids to see that their needs get met by something other than violent conflict.