News: 1,200 accidental firearm deaths for children between 2003 and 2021, CDC reports

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a report detailing over 1,200 cases of accidental children deaths due to firearms, according to JustCoding.

The scope of the study ranged from 2003-2021 and included children up to 17 years old. The CDC used its “National Violent Death Reporting System” database and the following set of ICD-10 codes to determine the number and type of accidental firearm deaths:

• W32.-, Accidental handgun discharge and malfunction
• W33.-, Accidental rifle, shotgun, and larger firearm discharge and malfunction
• W34.-, Accidental discharge and malfunction from other and unspecified firearms and guns

According to the CDC, there were 1,262 cases in total. Of those, 83.1% were male (16.9% female), 52.9% were inflicted by another person (37.8% self-inflicted), and 85.5% were fatally injured at a house or apartment (66.6% injured as they played with or showed the firearm to another person).

Editor’s note: To read the JustCoding coverage, click here. To read the CDC report, click here.