Firearm injury in Alabama’s pediatric patients: An assessment of neighborhood vulnerability and opportunity

jpedsurg.org

The incidence of pediatric firearm injuries is increasing. While developed independently, Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and Child Opportunity Index (COI) quantify socioeconomic disparities in pediatric populations although using different variables. There is scant research applying these indices to the incidence of pediatric firearm injuries. We aimed to investigate the association between SVI, COI, and pediatric firearm injuries seen at a state verified pediatric level one trauma center.

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Article · Mar 2026 · 1 min read

In brief

This study examines the relationship between socioeconomic factors and pediatric firearm injuries at an Alabama level one trauma center, using Social Vulnerability Index and Child Opportunity Index as analytical frameworks. The research addresses rising pediatric firearm injury rates by investigating how neighborhood-level social determinants correlate with injury incidence.

Pediatric firearm injuries are increasing and correlate with socioeconomic disparities measured by SVI and COI indices.
Social Vulnerability Index and Child Opportunity Index use different variables but both quantify neighborhood-level risk factors.
Limited research exists applying these validated indices to pediatric firearm injury patterns at trauma centers.
Understanding geographic and socioeconomic correlates can inform targeted injury prevention interventions.
Level one pediatric trauma centers serve as sentinel sites for studying firearm injury epidemiology in vulnerable populations.

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