Paediatric and Adolescent civilian gunshot injuries: a 10 year epidemiological study

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorMaqungo, Sithombo
dc.contributor.authorVerfuss, Frances
dc.date.accessioned2025-10-02T12:16:50Z
dc.date.available2025-10-02T12:16:50Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.updated2025-10-02T11:16:37Z
dc.description.abstractIntroduction: In South Africa, the prevalence of violent crime, especially involving firearms, poses a significant public health challenge, particularly when it affects children. Previous studies showed a decrease in paediatric civilian gunshot injuries following the introduction of the 2004 Firearms Control Act. This study examines the epidemiological trends of gunshot injuries in children from January 2011 to December 2020. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on children aged 0-12 years presenting to the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RXH) in Cape Town with gunshot injuries from January 2011 to December 2020. The data were drawn from the ChildSafe database and hospital records. We evaluated demographics, injury specifics, and orthopaedic outcomes. Results: The number of gunshot wounds(GSW) in the observational record showed an increasing trend of +2.69 (95%CI 1.05 – 4.33) patients per year with a total of 236 patients affected. There was a male predominance (56.8%), with the largest age group affected being children aged 5-9 years (44%). Orthopaedic injuries were prevalent in 69 patients (29.2%), including fractures and injuries to the peripheral nerves and spinal cord. A total of 71 fractures were recorded, with 54 occurring in the extremities and 17 involving the spine or pelvis. The lower extremities were most affected, necessitating surgical interventions such as external fixators and/or femur nails. Peripheral nerve injuries and spinal cord injuries resulted in significant long-term morbidities. The severity and complexity of all assessed injuries often required multiple surgical procedures and extended hospital stays, with an admission length of ~10 days, with some patients requiring intensive care (17.37% of cases). Morbidity included complications like wound infections and long-term disabilities such as paralysis and traumatic brain injuries. Conclusion: Despite legislative measures aimed at reducing such incidents, this study reveals an upward trend in gunshot injuries among children in Cape Town. Gunshot injuries remain a significant and increasing public health challenge among paediatric populations in Cape Town, with profound implications for morbidity, mortality, and healthcare resource utilization. Addressing this issue requires a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach that prioritizes prevention, early intervention, and addressing the underlying social determinants of violence.
dc.identifier.apacitationVerfuss, F. (2025). <i>Paediatric and Adolescent civilian gunshot injuries: a 10 year epidemiological study</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of General Surgery. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41982en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationVerfuss, Frances. <i>"Paediatric and Adolescent civilian gunshot injuries: a 10 year epidemiological study."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of General Surgery, 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41982en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationVerfuss, F. 2025. Paediatric and Adolescent civilian gunshot injuries: a 10 year epidemiological study. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of General Surgery. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41982en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Verfuss, Frances AB - Introduction: In South Africa, the prevalence of violent crime, especially involving firearms, poses a significant public health challenge, particularly when it affects children. Previous studies showed a decrease in paediatric civilian gunshot injuries following the introduction of the 2004 Firearms Control Act. This study examines the epidemiological trends of gunshot injuries in children from January 2011 to December 2020. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on children aged 0-12 years presenting to the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RXH) in Cape Town with gunshot injuries from January 2011 to December 2020. The data were drawn from the ChildSafe database and hospital records. We evaluated demographics, injury specifics, and orthopaedic outcomes. Results: The number of gunshot wounds(GSW) in the observational record showed an increasing trend of +2.69 (95%CI 1.05 – 4.33) patients per year with a total of 236 patients affected. There was a male predominance (56.8%), with the largest age group affected being children aged 5-9 years (44%). Orthopaedic injuries were prevalent in 69 patients (29.2%), including fractures and injuries to the peripheral nerves and spinal cord. A total of 71 fractures were recorded, with 54 occurring in the extremities and 17 involving the spine or pelvis. The lower extremities were most affected, necessitating surgical interventions such as external fixators and/or femur nails. Peripheral nerve injuries and spinal cord injuries resulted in significant long-term morbidities. The severity and complexity of all assessed injuries often required multiple surgical procedures and extended hospital stays, with an admission length of ~10 days, with some patients requiring intensive care (17.37% of cases). Morbidity included complications like wound infections and long-term disabilities such as paralysis and traumatic brain injuries. Conclusion: Despite legislative measures aimed at reducing such incidents, this study reveals an upward trend in gunshot injuries among children in Cape Town. Gunshot injuries remain a significant and increasing public health challenge among paediatric populations in Cape Town, with profound implications for morbidity, mortality, and healthcare resource utilization. Addressing this issue requires a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach that prioritizes prevention, early intervention, and addressing the underlying social determinants of violence. DA - 2025 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Paediatric KW - Adolescent LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2025 T1 - Paediatric and Adolescent civilian gunshot injuries: a 10 year epidemiological study TI - Paediatric and Adolescent civilian gunshot injuries: a 10 year epidemiological study UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41982 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/41982
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationVerfuss F. Paediatric and Adolescent civilian gunshot injuries: a 10 year epidemiological study. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of General Surgery, 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41982en_ZA
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDivision of General Surgery
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciences
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectPaediatric
dc.subjectAdolescent
dc.titlePaediatric and Adolescent civilian gunshot injuries: a 10 year epidemiological study
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMMed
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
thesis_hsf_2025_verfuss frances.pdf
Size:
3.91 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.72 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Masters