Association Between Unlocked Firearms and Pediatric Accidental Gunshot Wounds

ObjectivesFirearm-related injury has been the leading cause of mortality among the pediatric population since 2019. Some states have adopted gun storage legislation intending to reduce the incidence of pediatric firearm injuries; Alabama currently has no related statutes. The effectiveness of gun storage laws remains unclear. Herein, we hypothesize that firearm injuries among younger pediatric patients in our region are predominantly associated with unintentional discharge.MethodsA retrospective analysis at our Level 1 Trauma Center from 2019 to 2024 was conducted to determine the incidence of pediatric firearm injury data in Mobile, Alabama. Secondary demographic and injury data were defined, and geospatial mapping was performed comparing injury incidence and other socioeconomic factors.ResultsA total of 194 pediatric firearm injury cases were evaluated during the study period, 26% of which were unintentional. The incidence of unintentional injury during this period was 8.5/100,000 per year. By race, unintentional pediatric gunshot wounds were more common amongst Caucasian or White patients (53%), followed by Black or African American (43%). Intentional pediatric gunshot wounds were more prevalent in Black or African American patients (90%), followed by White (7%). Among children aged 0-5 and 13-17, most firearm injuries were intentional (62% and 67%, respectively), while for ages 6-12, the majority (52%) were unintentional. By sex, intentional injuries were most common among both males (59%) and females (74%).ConclusionOur report of unintentional pediatric firearm injuries in Mobile, Alabama may help guide injury prevention efforts in our region around pediatric.