Firearm injuries in girls and women. The unaddressed imperative.

Objective: To describe the trends in firearm fatalities in California between 1987 and 1991 and the 153 firearm injuries in girls and women treated at the King/Drew Medical Center, Los Angeles, Calif, from September 1, 1991, to December 31, 1992.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: The study was conducted at the King/Drew Medical Center, a university-based county hospital, one of the major trauma centers in Los Angeles.