Hospital-based violence intervention: an emerging practice based on public health principles

Violent injury in the USA continues to represent a major public health issue. As reported this year in the American Journal of Medicine, we are 10 times more likely to be killed from violence in the USA than in any other developed country and the rate of gun-related murder is 25 times higher than 22 other high-income countries. According to the CDC, this translated into 492 000 potential life years lost, giving credence to the fact that our young people are significantly affected. Minority populations bear the highest risk: homicide is the leading cause of death in African-Americans 15–34 years old and the second leading cause in Hispanics 15–24 years old. For every homicide, at least seven more people are non-fatally injured from violence.