Kentucky Advancing Violence Epidemiology In Real-Time

Background Kentucky has seen an increase in inpatient visits for both firearm injuries and violence related injuries from 2018-2021. The Kentucky Department for Public Health, College of Public Health, and the Kentucky Injury Prevention research center are collaborating to submit this proposal to support Kentucky Advancing Violence Epidemiology in Real-Time (KY-AVERT). Purpose KY-AVERT intends to improve the surveillance regardless of intent of all violence related injuries (including firearm, sexual, interpersonal, youth, intimate partner, intentional self-directed, child abuse, etc) and mental health conditions of ED visits. The KY-AVERT team will utilize syndromic data and ED data to identify changes in patterns and trends in a timely manner and increase the reach of this timely data though dissemination. Dissemination of the trends and patterns of violence-related and firearm injuries and mental health conditions to key partners will allow for a timelier response to changes and create more targeted interventions. Outcomes KY-AVERT will create a surveillance system to increase the timeliness and availability of emergency department visit for all firearm injuries, violence-related injuries, and mental health related conditions. KY-AVERT will work with key partners to disseminate the findings timely to those working on prevention efforts. Cases will be defined using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) syndromic definitions for violence-relate injuries, firearm injuries, and mental health conditions. Data will be validated using Hospital Discharge data. KY- AVERT will also link discharge data requested specifically from healthcare systems to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) data to help better understand the burden of violence related injuries, firearm injuries, and mental health conditions as well as create a more complete understanding of these events. In addition to conducting a data linkage project KY-AVERT will partner with other health agencies to expand or create local multisectoral partnership for Real-Time Data to Inform Response, Engagement, Collaboration, and Tailored (REDIRECT) prevention activities.