Patterns of U.S. Firearm Injury Emergency Department Visits by Month, Day, and Time During 2018 to 2023.

BACKGROUND

Monitoring temporal trends in firearm injury-related emergency department (ED) visits is challenging because traditional surveillance systems lack detailed temporal information.

OBJECTIVE

To describe temporal patterns of ED visits for firearm injury using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Firearm Injury Surveillance Through Emergency Rooms (FASTER) program.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis of firearm injury-related ED visits.

SETTING

9 states (Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia) and the District of Columbia from 1 January 2018 to 31 August 2023.

PATIENTS

ED visits for firearm injury ( = 93 022) from CDC's FASTER program.

MEASUREMENTS

ED visits for firearm injury per 100 000 ED visits, analyzed by time of day (in 30-minute intervals), day of the week, day of the year, and holidays.

RESULTS

From January 2018 through August 2023, there were 93 022 firearm injury ED visits (73.9 per 100 000 ED visits), or approximately 1 firearm injury every 30 minutes overall. Rates of firearm injury ED visits were highest between 2:30 and 3:00 a.m. and lowest between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. Nighttime peaks and daily rates were highest on Friday and Saturday. Monthly rates were highest in July and lowest in February; daily rates were disproportionately high on most holidays, especially Independence Day and New Year's Eve.

LIMITATIONS

Data are limited to 9 states and the District of Columbia and are not nationally representative. The analysis of ED visits for firearm injury does not distinguish injury intent and is based on arrival time rather than actual injury time.

CONCLUSION

Distinct temporal patterns in firearm injury ED visits highlight resource allocation considerations for prevention and response efforts.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.