Vasan A, Mitchell HK, Fein JA, et al. - According to this cross-sectional study, exposure to neighborhood gun violence is linked to an increase in children’s acute mental health symptoms.

• Between 2014 and 2018, a total of 2,629 persons were shot in the study area, and 54,341 children residing nearby had 1 or more emergency department (ED) visits within 60 days following a shooting.

• The bulk of these children were Black (45,946 [84.5%]) and were covered by Medicaid (42,480 [78.1%]).

• After adjusting for age, gender, race and ethnicity, median household income by zip code, and insurance, children who lived within one-eighth of a mile (2-3 blocks) of shooting had a higher likelihood of presenting to a mental health-related ED in the next 14 days, 30 days, and 60 days.

• City health departments and pediatric healthcare systems should collaborate to provide community-based support for children and families who have been exposed to violence, as well as trauma-informed care for the children who present to the ED.

• Public health policies aiming at minimizing children's exposure to neighborhood gun violence and mitigating the mental symptoms linked to gun violence exposure must be prioritized.