LAUSR

In their cross-sectional study, Barry and colleagues 1 estimate the expense of emergency and inpatient medical care and the relative mortality associated with assault-related injuries in US hospitals. A primary objective is to specifically quantify the burden of interpersonal firearm assaults. The authors commendably combine several nationally representative data sources on emergency and inpatient care, health care outcomes, and health care charges and costs. As is possible, they use these data within the context of their limitations. The findings of this study support previous research that reports the costliness of assault injuries for US health care systems. 2 Compared with more prevalent mechanisms of assault injuries, such as blunt force, firearm assault injuries are upheld as the costliest per injury. The high cost of firearm injuries results from the harm that bullet wounds catalyze in the body, the requirement for high-acuity clinical care, and the substantial physical, psychological, and social ramifications experienced by survivors. 3 the economic relative costs of assault-related hospitalizations progress cross-sectional uncovers changes and the association policy cost-recovery propose that