For a study, researchers sought to develop and compare the number of new mental health diagnoses (NMHD) given to kids who were injured by firearms with those who were involved in motor vehicle collisions (MVC). Compared to other types of traumatic injury, there was a knowledge gap regarding pediatric mental health diagnoses after gunshot wounds. For a matched case-control study of kids from 3 to 17 years old, they used Medicaid MarketScan claims (2010-2016). Children who suffered injuries from firearms were paired with up to 3 kids who had MVC injuries. The severity was assessed using the injury severity score and emergency room disposition. The link between receiving an NMHD diagnosis 1 year after an injury caused by a firearm and MVC mechanisms were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. They matched 18,450 kids with gun injuries with 3,691 kids with MVC injuries. Children with gunshot injuries were more likely to be black, have higher injury severity scores, and be admitted to the hospital through the emergency room than children with MVC injuries (P<0.001). In comparison to MVC injuries, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of NMHD diagnosis was 1.55 (95% CI: 1.33-1.80), which was higher than that after gunshot injuries. Compared to kids who were released from the hospital, those who were hospitalized had an increased probability of developing an NMHD. Increases in substance-related and addictive disorders (aOR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.63-2.64), as well as disorders linked to trauma and stressors (aOR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.55-2.76), were the main contributors to the increased risks of NMHD following gunshot injuries. In the year following a firearm accident, children were found to have a 50% higher chance of developing an NMHD than MVC. The mental health of children who have been injured by firearms requires programmatic interventions.
