Gunshot Wound, Contact, Skin Injury Due to Violence
Conditions
Keywords
Violence, firearm, guns, homicide, trauma, injury
Brief summary
Primary outcome: Research participants and their network contacts will be followed over 6 months to assess whether a social work case management protocol results in reduction of trauma services recidivism and criminal violence arrests.
Detailed description
Allegheny County, PA continues to suffer between 100-120 homicides each year, with perhaps 2-3 times as many gunshot injuries that require hospitalization. Firearm homicides overwhelmingly affect African American men aged 15-35. Building on prior efforts in violence prevention, the investigators propose to launch a hospital trauma service intervention that will take advantage of a teachable moment in the emergency room. All four hospitals providing Level I Trauma services in Allegheny County have agreed to host the program, an evidence-based effort developed by the National Network of Hospital Violence Intervention (NNHVI). Adaptation of the NNHVI model will focus on the social networks of gunshot victims as well as the victims themselves. Intervention efforts will range from job training and mentoring to relocation to different communities. The investigators will offer the opportunity to participate in the research and receive the intervention to all gunshot victims identified in county Level I trauma services. Participants in the research protocol will be asked to recruit their high-risk social network members for the intervention.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALSocial Work Case Management
The National Network of Hospital Violence Intervention (NNHVI) suggests that intervening when gunshot victims are receiving treatment in hospital trauma services may be effective in linking high-risk individuals to appropriate case management services, and that this service linkage may lower the risk of further violence. Our adaptation of the NNHVI model will focus on the social networks of gunshot victims as well as the victims themselves. Intervention efforts will range from job training and mentoring to relocation to different communities.
Sponsors
The Pittsburgh Foundation
Hillman Foundation
RK Mellon Foundation
University of Pittsburgh
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1. Age 18+ 2. Gunshot victim treated and discharged from Level I trauma facility; or member of social network of gunshot victim who may be high risk of firearm violence -
Exclusion criteria
1. Gunshot wound because of suicide attempt 2. Gunshot wound because of non-violent episode (e.g., hunting accident) 3. Unable to participate in research interview because of cognitive deficit 4. Planning to leave community as result of shooting 5. Discharged from trauma service to prison 6. Unable to provide informed consent -
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Trauma services recidivism | 6 months | Readmission to hospital trauma service because of firearm injury |
| Arrest for violent crime | 6 months | Arrests involving criminal violence noted in DA docket |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Social work case management goals | 6 months | Educational program enrollment, job training, receipt of drug and alcohol treatment, trauma counseling |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed