Between 2003 and 2010, injuries stemming from firearms cost U.S. hospitals $18.9 billion, and the average cost of treating a gun injury was $75,884, according to new research from the American Public Health Association.
The APHA released the research findings at its annual meeting in Boston yesterday. Data were collected from the government's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. The group's researchers also said that during the same time period, the more than 252,000 gunfire victims stayed in a hospital for a cumulative 1.8 million days, resulting in 7.1 hospitalization days per gun injury.
Min Kyeong Lee, DMD, said in a news release the gun injuries obviously cause financial strains on the healthcare system, but they also result in societal strains, such as disability, lack of productivity and emotional turmoil.
The APHA's report follows research from The Urban Institute, which similarly said research shows hospitalizations related to gun violence increase costs to hospitals and health systems.
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