A recent study published in Pediatrics has revealed concerning geospatial clusters of pediatric firearm injuries across the United States, with most incidents occurring within the same zip code as the child’s home.

The study, led by Dr. Craig D. Newgard from Oregon Health & Science University, analyzed data from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2022. Using national 9-1-1 emergency medical services (EMS) responses for children aged 0 to 17 years across all 50 states, the researchers aimed to identify patterns and hotspots of firearm injuries.

The study reviewed over 10.5 million EMS responses from 30,393 zip codes during the 10-year period. Of these, 26,101 cases (0.25%) involved firearm injuries, with 14.1% affecting young children (ages 0 to 10) and a staggering 85.9% impacting adolescents (ages 11 to 17).

Notably, 80.9% of firearm injuries in children occurred in their home zip code, with 40.5% of these incidents happening within identified geographic clusters. For adolescents, 69.7% of injuries occurred in their home zip code, and 51.5% were part of spatial clusters.

The research also tracked changes over time, focusing on 37 states with continuous data throughout the study period. In 2022 alone, nearly half of the clustered zip codes (47.8%) for pediatric injuries and 32.1% for adolescent injuries were newly identified hotspots.

"The rate of pediatric firearm injuries and the number of hotspots increased over time, with many new zip codes included as hotspots in 2022," the authors noted in their conclusion.

The findings highlight a growing concern about gun violence affecting children and adolescents in familiar surroundings. Experts suggest that this data should prompt policymakers and community leaders to focus on preventive measures, awareness campaigns, and targeted interventions in areas identified as emerging hotspots.