Improving Adolescent Violent Trauma Outcomes With a Hospital-Based Violence Prevention Initiative.

BACKGROUND: Violent trauma results in significant morbidity/mortality in Black/Hispanic males aged 15 to 24 years. Hospital- and community-level interventions may improve patient and community outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To determine if a hospital-based violence prevention intervention using community outreach workers was associated with improved violent trauma patient postdischarge follow-up and reinjury rates. METHODS: This is a retrospective, single-center, cohort study of admitted violent trauma patients to a public hospital in the Bronx, NY. Data were collected from a convenience sample of patients aged 15 to 24 years admitted with International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, codes for gunshot wound, stab wound, or physical assault from August 2014 to April 2018. The exposure variable was documentation of intervention team evaluation during admission. The outcome variables included attending >50% scheduled postdischarge follow-up visits, and subsequent violent reinjury (gunshot wound, stab wound, blunt assault) during the study time period. Multivariable regression models were used to determine the association between the exposure and outcome variables. RESULTS: A total of 535 patients were evaluated and were primarily male (92.5%), Black (54%)/Latino (36.4%), with mean age of 19.1 years. Patients in the exposure group had increased odds of attending >50% of scheduled clinic postdischarge follow-up visits (odds ratio, 2.29; 95% confidence interval 1.59-3.29) and decreased odds of subsequent violent reinjury presentation (odds ratio, 0.41; 95% confidence interval 0.22-0.75) 3 months after hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: A hospital-based violence prevention intervention may be associated with decreased odds of violent reinjury and increased odds of postdischarge scheduled appointment adherence in admitted pediatric violent trauma patients.

Race-specific characteristics in pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis in an urban inner-city clinic.

BACKGROUND: Manifestations of pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) are varied and dictated by multiple factors. The influence of race is limited to small observational cohorts of dichotomized data (Whites vs non-Whites) or single-racial analysis. OBJECTIVE: To better understand phenotypic variability in the manifestation and atopic sensitization of pediatric EoE, from the perspective of race. METHODS: Retrospective observational cohort study performed at a tertiary referral center. Subjects were included if less than 21 years old, with suggestive clinical features and histopathologic (>15 eosinophils/high-power field [hpf]) confirmation of EoE. Statistical computation was performed using Stata/IC 11 on variables of interest. RESULTS: A total of 34 subjects were included in the analysis. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age for initial atopy was 2 (1-5) years. The median (IQR) age for EoE diagnosis was 5 (3-8) years. Age of EoE diagnosis was higher for Black or African Americans than non-Black or African Americans (P = .01). Between the racial groups, there was no difference in the total number of food sensitizations (P = .13), yet environmental allergy testing revealed that Black or African Americans were more likely to be sensitized for weeds (P = .03), dog (P = .009), and mold (P = .006). On histopathologic analysis, Black or African American subjects were found to have more prominent midesophageal eosinophilia at median 50/hpf (20-80/hpf), whereas Hispanic or LatinXs have more prominent lower esophageal eosinophilia at median 40/hpf (IQR, 20-40/hpf), compared with the other races (P = .04 and P = .04, respectively). CONCLUSION: Black or African Americans are more likely to present at an older age, have aeroallergen sensitization, and have more prominent midesophageal eosinophilia.

Engagement and Leadership in Firearm-Related Violence Prevention: The Role of the Pediatric Hospitalist.

Gun violence is a US public health crisis. Approximately 7000 children are hospitalized each year because of firearm-related injuries. As pediatric hospitalists, we are poised to address this crisis, whether we care directly for patients who are victims of gun violence. In this article, we aim to provide practical tools and opportunities for pediatric hospitalists to address the epidemic of gun safety and gun violence prevention, including specifics related to the inpatient setting. We provide a framework to act within 4 domains: clinical care, advocacy, education and research.