Firearms Cause Nearly 70% of Homicide-Related TBIs in the United States

Classic Article Review  – Background: Penetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI) from firearms is among the most lethal forms of neurotrauma. High-velocity projectile injury causes extensive parenchymal destruction, hemorrhage, cerebrovascular disruption, and frequently death at the scene. Although TBI is commonly implicated in homicide, national trends specifically describing firearm-related TBI deaths have not been well defined. Objective: To characterize incidence patterns and temporal trends of firearm-related versus nonfirearm-related TBI homicides in the United States from 2000 to 2019. Design: Retrospective national epidemiologic study of homicide-related TBI deaths in the United States from 2000 to 2019. Methods: Mortality data were obtained from the National Vital Statistics System via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s WONDER (Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research) database, which compiles U.S. death certificate records. TBI-related deaths wer more...