Higher SaFETy Scores ID Increased Prevalence of Firearm Violence

MONDAY, April 22, 2024 (HealthDay News) — The SaFETy score, a clinical screening tool specific to firearm violence, can identify young adults with past six-month firearm violence, according to a research letter published online April 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Jason E. Goldstick, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues examined the association between the 10-point SaFETy score and past six-month self-reported firearm violence among young adults, aged 18 to 24 years, presenting to emergency departments in three cities.

A total of 1,506 young adults were enrolled; 1,483 had data on past six-month firearm violence, and 5.9 percent reported positively. The researchers found that the mean SaFETy scores were 4.7 and 0.9 for those with and without past six-month firearm violence, respectively. Those with SaFETy scores of 0, 1 to 5, and 6+ had past six-month firearm violence rates of 0.7, 8.9, and 34.7 percent, respectively. Trends were similar for firearm victimization and aggression. Individuals with a SaFETy score of 1 to 5 and 6+ had 7.7 and 26.2 percent higher prevalence rates of past six-month firearm violence, respectively, compared with those with a score of 0, after adjustment for age, gender, race, site, and violence-related emergency department utilization.

“This cross-sectional analysis suggests the SaFETy score may be an effective, and less intrusive, way to ascertain persons with firearm violence history,” the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text