Gun violence became the leading cause of death and injury for children in 2020 and 2021, beating out car crashes, long the main killer of young people, and all diseases.
A new study from the National Institute for Health Care Management examined the extent of the toll of firearm violence on children and their families and the economic and health burdens they face. The study, which focused on children who survive a shooting, found that those kids experience “substantial” increases in physical and mental health disorders, health care use and spending.
“With children and adolescents increasingly exposed to firearms in the U.S., these findings show the direct toll and ripple effects that reverberate from firearm injuries through families,” the researchers said. “Survivors and their families are deeply impacted; parents and siblings of children and adolescents who died from gunshots fare even worse.”
Survivors of firearm injury are often forgotten, as are family members who share in the trauma.
Zirui Song, M.D., Ph.D.
Studies like these show how firearm violence has considerable impacts, often permanently altering the lives of survivors and their families. This study in particular demonstrates the other health challenges, both physical and mental, victims deal with after surviving a shooting. Health care reporters should factor in these issues when covering the larger consequences of a shooting.
Key study findings
Researchers analyzed three groups of people exposed to firearm injuries: children and adolescent survivors ages 0-19 years old, family members of survivors and family members of descendants. The time period they looked at was from one year before injury through one year after injury.
The study noted a 144% increase in substance abuse disorders, a 17-fold increase in spending on health care and a 1,449% increase in hospitalizations.
“Survivors of firearm injury are often forgotten, as are family members who share in the trauma. This evidence shows that the health and economic reach of firearm injuries extends well beyond the already striking number of fatalities,” wrote lead study researcher Zirui Song, M.D., Ph.D.
Survivors experienced increases in a variety of health issues including pain disorders, psychiatric disorders and substance use disorders. Females experienced a larger percentage increase in substance use disorders than males, according to the findings.
Parents also had about a 30% increase in documented psychiatric disorders. Siblings did not experience an increase; however, the study highlights that they might not be seeking care.
Descendants’ parents and siblings particularly experienced more psychiatric disorders: Mothers saw a 358% increase, fathers a 532% increase and siblings a 227% increase. Parents also needed more psychiatric visits and medications, the study said.
Health care use also went up across the board. For survivors, doctor’s office visits increased by 89%, emergency room trips went up 253%, mental health appointments spiked by 32% and hospitalizations increased by 1,449%. Procedures, imaging, lab draws and other testing also rose, the findings show. Survivors also started using more prescription pain and psychiatric medications.
Mothers of survivors increased their mental health visits by 75%, though fathers’ health care use was unchanged. Fathers’ health care use did not change significantly, while siblings had reductions in routine medical visits.
Parents and siblings of decedents experienced a 2- to 5-fold spike in psychiatric disorders and mental health visits.
Spending on health care for survivors increased 17-fold, the study found, amounting to $34,884 annually or $2,907 monthly.
As increasingly more children are victimized by shootings in the U.S., these findings show just how deep the burdens of firearm violence are. This study also provides journalists with specific figures to help illustrate the economic and health toll of firearm violence injuries on children and their families.
Resources
- Moms Demand Action is a nonprofit founded by Shannon Watts after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. The organization advocates for stronger firearm safety measures and pushes for stronger state and federal gun laws. The group is a part of Everytown for Gun Safety and has a chapter in every state and Washington, D.C. This group often highlights the impacts firearm violence has on kids and teens.
- Everytown for Gun Safety is a nonprofit that advocates for stronger policies to prevent firearm violence, endorses “gun sense” candidates and supports research on the causes of firearm violence and solutions. The group was formed in 2013 by merging Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
- Gun Violence Archive is a nonprofit that provides comprehensive and detailed data on gun violence incidents in the U.S. The online archive collects information on incidents from 7,500 law enforcement, media, government and commercial sources daily to provide near-real-time data about gun violence. The data sets allow users to break down by demographics, including ages
