Extortion experiences of recent adult immigrants from Latin America: self-reported prevalence, associated costs, and current mental health.

Violence across Latin America is an increasingly important factor influencing migration to the US. A particular form of violence that is experienced by many Latinx migrants is extortion. This research analyzes the extortion experiences of Latinx immigrant adults arriving at the US southern border and the impact these experiences have on mental health.

Evaluation of synthetic clear gelatin as an acceptable surrogate for low-velocity penetrating impacts using the depth of penetration calibration standard.

Ballistic gelatin has been extensively used in ballistics research for decades, but calibration standards were established on limited datasets, and only few studies have attempted to recreate these experiments with biological tissues. Recent studies have demonstrated better biofidelity with 20% ordnance ballistic gelatin, but researchers have discredited the use of synthetic gelatin claiming different behavior than ordnance gelatin. To investigate the use of synthetic clear gelatin as an acceptable surrogate of biological tissue, depth of penetration was compared between low-velocity impacts of various projectiles into porcine tissue (n = 192), post-mortem human subjects (n = 29), and Clear Ballistics synthetic gelatin (n = 39).

Examining firearm-related deaths in Mexico, 2015-2022.

Background: Globally, Mexico is one of six countries with the highest level of firearm mortality. While previous studies have examined firearm mortality in Mexico before 2015, increases in violence since then highlight the need for an updated analysis. In this study, we examined changes in firearm-related deaths in Mexico from 2015 to 2022 and described these deaths by key demographic groups, incident location, and state of occurrence.

A Milwaukee Syndemic? Penetrative Injury and COVID-19.

Introduction: This study sought to evaluate injury frequency of penetrative trauma before and after stay-at-home orders were implemented due to COVID-19 in Wisconsin.

Methods: Patients who presented to a level I trauma center from January 2018 through December 2021 with a mechanism of injury of firearm or stab wound were included. The study was split into pre-COVID (January 2018-February 2020) and COVID (March 2020-December 2021) periods.

Linking emergency care and police department data to strengthen timely information on violence-related paediatric injuries.

Background: Combined ED and police department (PD) data have improved violence surveillance in the UK, enabling significantly improved prevention. We sought to determine if the addition of emergency medical service (EMS) data to ED data would contribute meaningful information on violence-related paediatric injuries beyond PD record data in a US city.

Methods: Cross-sectional data on self-reported violence-related injuries of youth treated in the ED between January 2015 and September 2016 were combined with incidents classified by EMS as intentional interpersonal violence and incidents in which the PD responded to a youth injury from a simple or aggravated assault, robbery or sexual offence.

Timing of Mental Health Service Use After a Pediatric Firearm Injury.

Objectives: To examine how timing of the first outpatient mental health (MH) visit after a pediatric firearm injury varies by sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

Methods: We retrospectively studied children aged 5 to 17 years with a nonfatal firearm injury from 2010 to 2018 using the IBM Watson MarketScan Medicaid database. Logistic regression estimated the odds of MH service use in the 6 months after injury, adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

Comprehensive Framework of Firearm Violence Survivor Care: A Review.

Importance: Firearm violence is a public health crisis placing significant burden on individuals, communities, and health care systems. After firearm injury, there is increased risk of poor health, disability, and psychopathology. The newest 2022 guidelines from the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma require that all trauma centers screen for risk of psychopathology and provide referral to intervention.

Mental Health Care Following Firearm and Motor Vehicle-related Injuries: Differences Impacting Our Treatment Strategies.

Objective: To compare new mental health diagnoses (NMHD) in children after a firearm injury versus following a motor vehicle collision (MVC).

Background: A knowledge gap exists regarding childhood mental health diagnoses following firearm injuries, notably in comparison to other forms of traumatic injury.

Methods: We utilized Medicaid MarketScan claims (2010-2016) to conduct a matched case-control study of children ages 3 to 17 years.

Risk of deaths due to injuries in travellers: a systematic review.

Background: Annual global travel reached an all-time high of 1.4 billion international tourist visits in 2019. It is estimated that injury accounts for close to 25% of deaths in travellers, most of which are theoretically preventable.