Drug-Using Youth Are at High Risk for Violence Recidivism

Assault injury at presentation, post-traumatic stress disorder, drug use disorder, and female sex predicted violence recidivism.

Violence is the leading cause of death for urban youth. To evaluate the risk for violence recidivism among drug-using youth with assault injuries, investigators followed patients aged 14 to 24 who presented to an urban emergency department (ED) during a 2-year period. Of 559 youth (mean age, 20 years; 59% male) who reported drug use within the past 6 months, 349 presented with assault-related injuries (assault-injury group) and 250 presented for other reasons (non–assault-injury group). Standardized assessments for alcohol and drug use, mental health disorders, and firearm carriage were conducted at baseline and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months.

During the two-year follow-up period, 37% of the assault-injury group visited an ED for an assault-rel…

Reviewing Author

Katherine Bakes, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier)

Grant/Research SupportDepartment of Justice

Editorial BoardsEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier); Rosen’s Emergency Medicine (Elsevier)

Katherine Bakes, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier)

Grant/Research SupportDepartment of Justice

Editorial BoardsEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier); Rosen’s Emergency Medicine (Elsevier)

Drug-Using Youth Are at High Risk for Violence Recidivism

Topics

Reviewing Author