• J L Annest, J A Mercy, D R Gibson, and G W Ryan.
• Office of Statistics and Programming (K59), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724, USA.
• JAMA. 1995 Jun 14; 273 (22): 1749-54.

ObjectiveTo describe the magnitude and characteristics of nonfatal firearm-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments in the United States and to compare nonfatal injury rates with firearm-related fatality rates.DesignData were obtained from medical records for all firearm-related injury cases identified using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) from June 1, 1992, through May 31, 1993.SettingNEISS comprises 91 hospitals that are a stratified probability sample of all hospitals in the United States and its territories that have at least six beds and provide 24-hour emergency service.Main Outcome MeasuresNumbers and population rates for nonfatal and fatal firearm-related injuries.ResultsAn estimated 99,025 (95% confidence interval [CI], 56,325 to 141,725) persons (or 38.6 per 100,000 population; 95% CI, 22.0 to 55.2) were treated for nonfatal firearm-related injuries in US hospital emergency departments during the study period. The rate of nonfatal firearm-related injuries treated was 2.6 (95% CI, 1.5 to 3.7) times the national rate of fatal firearm-related injuries for 1992.ConclusionsNonfatal firearm-related injuries contribute substantially to the overall public health burden of firearm-related injuries. NEISS can be useful to monitor the number of nonfatal firearm-related injuries in the United States. A national surveillance system is needed to provide uniform data on firearm-related injury morbidity and mortality for use in research and prevention efforts.

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