Vulnerability of children to gunshot trauma in violence-prone environment: The case of South Africa
South Africa has a high level of violence, as more people are killed by gunfire each year than in motor vehicle accidents, and the numbers are increasing. Regrettably, children are affected most by this epidemic. During 1997, a total of 142 children aged less than 14 years died from gunshot injuries...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2011-01-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Paediatric Surgery |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.afrjpaedsurg.org/article.asp?issn=0189-6725;year=2011;volume=8;issue=1;spage=101;epage=104;aulast=Naidoo |
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| author | Naidoo Sudeshni Van As A |
| author_facet | Naidoo Sudeshni Van As A |
| author_sort | Naidoo Sudeshni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | South Africa has a high level of violence, as more people are killed by gunfire each year than in motor vehicle accidents, and the numbers are increasing. Regrettably, children are affected most by this epidemic. During 1997, a total of 142 children aged less than 14 years died from gunshot injuries while many more were injured. Here we present the case of an 11-year-old male street child who sustained a gunshot to the face, and illustrate the magnitude of the problem. The escalating epidemic of firearm-related injuries and deaths among children and adolescents in Cape Town, like in many other parts of the world, calls for concern. Further research is needed to understand firearm-related injuries among children and adolescents in South Africa, and to develop policies and programmes for effective prevention of situations such as this. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T19:47:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-93bfe56570f643acb6b9ede0c30172b1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0189-6725 0974-5998 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T19:47:41Z |
| publishDate | 2011-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Paediatric Surgery |
| spelling | doaj.art-93bfe56570f643acb6b9ede0c30172b12022-12-22T03:18:55ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsAfrican Journal of Paediatric Surgery0189-67250974-59982011-01-0181101104Vulnerability of children to gunshot trauma in violence-prone environment: The case of South AfricaNaidoo SudeshniVan As ASouth Africa has a high level of violence, as more people are killed by gunfire each year than in motor vehicle accidents, and the numbers are increasing. Regrettably, children are affected most by this epidemic. During 1997, a total of 142 children aged less than 14 years died from gunshot injuries while many more were injured. Here we present the case of an 11-year-old male street child who sustained a gunshot to the face, and illustrate the magnitude of the problem. The escalating epidemic of firearm-related injuries and deaths among children and adolescents in Cape Town, like in many other parts of the world, calls for concern. Further research is needed to understand firearm-related injuries among children and adolescents in South Africa, and to develop policies and programmes for effective prevention of situations such as this.http://www.afrjpaedsurg.org/article.asp?issn=0189-6725;year=2011;volume=8;issue=1;spage=101;epage=104;aulast=NaidooChildrengunshot woundsheadmandible |
| spellingShingle | Naidoo Sudeshni Van As A Vulnerability of children to gunshot trauma in violence-prone environment: The case of South Africa African Journal of Paediatric Surgery Children gunshot wounds head mandible |
| title | Vulnerability of children to gunshot trauma in violence-prone environment: The case of South Africa |
| title_full | Vulnerability of children to gunshot trauma in violence-prone environment: The case of South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Vulnerability of children to gunshot trauma in violence-prone environment: The case of South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vulnerability of children to gunshot trauma in violence-prone environment: The case of South Africa |
| title_short | Vulnerability of children to gunshot trauma in violence-prone environment: The case of South Africa |
| title_sort | vulnerability of children to gunshot trauma in violence prone environment the case of south africa |
| topic | Children gunshot wounds head mandible |
| url | http://www.afrjpaedsurg.org/article.asp?issn=0189-6725;year=2011;volume=8;issue=1;spage=101;epage=104;aulast=Naidoo |
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