Children whose parents received treatment for a firearm injury were significantly more likely to have a psychiatric disorder that year than children who were not exposed to parental firearm injury, according to a
report in the
New England Journal of Medicine.
The increased risk was especially true for trauma-related disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and was larger among children whose parents sustained more severe injuries.
Why It’s Relevant
Firearm injuries are the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in the United States, but direct injury is only one way that firearm violence affects individuals, families, and communities. One study found that between 1999 and 2020, a total of
430,000 children lost a parent to firearm injuries. However, nonfatal firearm injuries are thought to be two to three times as frequent as deaths, meaning that studies focused on firearm deaths capture only a fraction of the harm caused by firearm violence.
By the Numbers
- Using U.S. commercial health insurance claims data from 2007 to 2022, the researchers analyzed rates of psychiatric diagnosis among 3,790 youths 19 years or younger exposed to parental firearm injury and 18,535 matched controls. The mean age of the youths was 10.7, and 51.5% were male.
- Parental firearm injury was associated with 8.4 additional psychiatric diagnoses per 1,000 youths and 23.1 additional mental health visits per 1,000 youths as compared with controls, averaged over the year.
- This associated increase was largest for diagnoses of trauma-related disorders, including PTSD, with an additional 8.5 diagnoses per 1,000 youths as compared with control.
- The psychiatric risks associated with parental firearm injury were greater in female versus male youths, and greater in children whose parents sustained more severe injuries.
The Other Side
The findings focused on children with private insurance and cannot be generalized to other populations, especially children with Medicaid, who are more commonly exposed to firearm injuries.
Takeaway Message
The findings suggest multiple avenues for intervention in acute and intensive care settings, the researchers noted. Hospital-based violence intervention programs can assist in coordinating care for injured adults and their affected children. Teams caring for adult survivors can refer their children to supportive programs designed to serve youth survivors of firearm injury. They can also refer children to community-based programs that support survivors and their families.
Related Information
Source
George Karandinos, et.al. Mental health outcomes in children after parental firearm injury. New England Journal of Medicine. Published January 29, 2026. doi: 10.1056/NEJMsa2502702
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