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Pediatrics

Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs Show Promise for Pediatric Patients

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Pediatric patients who experience violence, especially those injured by firearms, may benefit from hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs). A new study published in Injury Prevention suggests that HVIPs can support recovery and engagement, regardless of the type of injury. Researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia analyzed data from 2021 patients, aged 8-18, treated at their urban pediatric trauma center between 2018 and 2023. The study found that patients who were injured by firearms were more likely to enroll in the HVIP, but non-firearm-injured patients made up 85% of HVIP participants.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) support recovery following interpersonal violence among pediatric patients.
  • Most patients (94%) who participated in the HVIP experienced non-firearm injuries.
  • Firearm-injured patients were more likely to enroll in the HVIP (adjusted OR=4.01, 95% CI 2.64 to 6.14) than non-firearm-injured patients.
  • Non-firearm-injured patients represented 85% of HVIP participants.
  • Firearm-injured patients had longer program duration (adj_=43.73, 95% CI 4.84 to 82.63 days), more documented encounters (adj_=16.30, 95%CI 3.44 to 29.16), and more recovery goals (adj_=3.37, 95%CI 1.21 to 5.52) compared to non-firearm-injured patients.
  • HVIP goal resolution and graduation rates did not significantly differ by mechanism.
  • The study identified metrics to describe HVIP implementation among pediatric patients with diverse injury types.

Statistics:

  • 94% of patients who participated in the HVIP experienced non-firearm injuries.
  • 440 patients (21.8%) who were injured by firearms enrolled in the HVIP.
  • 85% of HVIP participants were non-firearm-injured patients.
  • The average program duration for firearm-injured patients was 43.73 days (95% CI 4.84 to 82.63).
  • Firearm-injured patients had an average of 16.30 documented encounters (95%CI 3.44 to 29.16).
  • Firearm-injured patients had an average of 3.37 recovery goals (95%CI 1.21 to 5.52).

Sources:

  • Exploring programme implementation of a US paediatric hospital-based violence intervention programme by injury mechanism. Injury Prevention, 2025.
  • Injury Prevention. Bmj Publishing Group. (group.bmj.com/)
  • Center for Violence Prevention, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. (Contact: Hillary M. Kapa)

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