TABLE. Mean weekly number of emergency department visits, percent change* in emergency department visits, and visit ratios† of emergency department visits for firearm injury,§ overall and by sex and age group — National Syndromic Surveillance Program,¶ United States, January 2019–December 2022.
| Sex/Age group, yrs | 2019 | 2020** | 2021** | 2022** | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean weekly no. of firearm injury ED visits | Mean weekly no. of firearm injury ED visits | % Change in mean weekly no. of firearm injury ED visits | VR (95% CI) | Mean weekly no. of firearm injury ED visits | % Change in mean weekly no. of firearm injury ED visits | VR (95% CI) | Mean weekly no. of firearm injury ED visits | % Change in mean weekly no. of firearm injury ED visits | VR (95% CI) | |
| All | 979.3 | 1,341.5 | 37.0 | 1.66 (1.64–1.68) | 1,328.3 | 35.6 | 1.46 (1.44–1.48) | 1,170.0 | 19.5 | 1.22 (1.20–1.23) |
| Females | ||||||||||
| Overall | 139.6 | 190.9 | 36.7 | 1.70 (1.64–1.75) | 198.0 | 41.9 | 1.55 (1.51–1.60) | 179.7 | 28.7 | 1.33 (1.29–1.37) |
| 0–14 | 6.7 | 11.3 | 69.3 | 2.81 (2.47–3.21) | 11.4 | 71.1 | 2.20 (1.93–2.52) | 9.5 | 43.1 | 1.49 (1.30–1.71) |
| 15–24 | 45.8 | 64.5 | 40.8 | 1.76 (1.67–1.86) | 66.4 | 45.0 | 1.60 (1.52–1.69) | 62.1 | 35.5 | 1.47 (1.40–1.55) |
| 25–34 | 38.2 | 54.5 | 42.6 | 1.71 (1.62–1.81) | 55.5 | 45.2 | 1.59 (1.50–1.68) | 49.6 | 29.7 | 1.41 (1.33–1.49) |
| 35–64 | 41.5 | 50.7 | 22.2 | 1.45 (1.37–1.53) | 54.5 | 31.4 | 1.40 (1.33–1.49) | 51.0 | 22.9 | 1.29 (1.22–1.36) |
| ≥65 | 7.5 | 10.0 | 33.7 | 1.57 (1.38–1.79) | 10.2 | 37.0 | 1.42 (1.24–1.62) | 7.6 | 1.0 | 0.96 (0.83–1.10) |
| Males | ||||||||||
| Overall | 839.8 | 1,150.6 | 37.0 | 1.62 (1.60–1.64) | 1,130.3 | 34.6 | 1.42 (1.41–1.44) | 990.3 | 17.9 | 1.18 (1.17–1.20) |
| 0–14 | 22.1 | 30.1 | 36.1 | 2.31 (2.14–2.49) | 31.8 | 43.7 | 1.85 (1.72–2.00) | 30.9 | 39.9 | 1.44 (1.33–1.55) |
| 15–24 | 291.9 | 404.6 | 38.6 | 1.67 (1.64–1.70) | 383.7 | 31.4 | 1.42 (1.39–1.45) | 343.8 | 17.7 | 1.24 (1.21–1.27) |
| 25–34 | 250.2 | 351.1 | 40.3 | 1.55 (1.51–1.58) | 339.2 | 35.6 | 1.40 (1.37–1.43) | 286.6 | 14.6 | 1.21 (1.18–1.24) |
| 35–64 | 222.3 | 297.5 | 33.8 | 1.47 (1.43–1.50) | 310.7 | 39.8 | 1.42 (1.38–1.45) | 287.2 | 29.2 | 1.31 (1.28–1.35) |
| ≥65 | 53.2 | 67.3 | 26.4 | 1.38 (1.31–1.45) | 64.9 | 21.9 | 1.20 (1.14–1.26) | 41.8 | -21.5 | 0.72 (0.68–0.76) |
Abbreviations: ED = emergency department; NSSP = National Syndromic Surveillance Program; VR = visit ratio. * Percent change in visits per week during each surveillance period was calculated as ([mean weekly ED visits for firearm injury during surveillance period − mean weekly ED visits for firearm injury during comparison period] / mean weekly ED visits for firearm injury during comparison period) × 100.
† VR = (ED visits for firearm injury [surveillance period] / all ED visits [surveillance period]) / (ED visits for firearm injury [comparison period] / all ED visits [comparison period]). Ratios >1 indicate a higher proportion of ED visits for firearm injury during the surveillance period than the comparison period; ratios <1 indicate a lower proportion during the comparison period than during the surveillance period; 95% CIs that do not include 1 were considered statistically significant.
§ ED visits for an initial firearm injury encounter were identified by querying a categorization developed and validated by CDC in partnership with state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments. The following intent types were included in the definition: unintentional, intentional self-directed, assault, undetermined intent, legal intervention, and terrorism.
¶ NSSP is a collaboration among CDC, local and state health departments, and federal, academic, and private sector partners. NSSP receives medical record data from approximately 75% of EDs nationwide, although fewer than 50% of facilities from California, Hawaii, Minnesota, and Oklahoma currently participate in NSSP. https://www.cdc.gov/nssp/index.html
** Comparison period is calendar weeks 1–52 (December 30, 2018–December 28, 2019).