COVID-19 pandemic linked to violence-related trauma

Editor's Note

In this study, researchers from Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, find that violence-related trauma increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trauma registry data on 2,563 violence-related patient presentations in Connecticut from 2018 to 2021 were included in the analysis.

The researchers found a:

• 55% increase in violence-related trauma
• 76% increase in penetrating injuries (56% increase in gunshot wounds and 93% increase in stab wounds)
• 61% increase in violence-related trauma among racial/ethnic minoritized patients.

Increased community violence is a significant and underappreciated negative health and social consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Long-term relief efforts should include policies and programs for community violence prevention and mental health treatment for the victims, the authors say.