In a ground-breaking infographic presentation, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) explores the financial and societal tolls of gun violence in the United States, as well as the Atlanta area.
“I see the physical effects every day in the operating room,” says Omar Danner, M.D., FACS, associate professor and director of trauma, critical care and advanced laparoscopy for MSM at Grady Memorial Hospital.
Danner has joined other MSM researchers on countless research to explore this topic including, Violence Related injuries among Individuals Admitted to A Level I Trauma Center in Atlanta, 2011-2013.  This research found that:
“Of the total number of patients admitted to the trauma center (2,859), the majority were male (89%), African American (80%), and 20-39 years old (61%). The breakdown of VRI patients by the type of VRI shows that the majority (55%) were admitted to the center because of gunshot wounds followed by assaults (33%).”
Danner adds, “Now that we have identified the problem, the solution just can’t be patching up young people to return them to violence in their communities. We hope that sharing these numbers visually will incite changes.”
MSM faculty, staff and students continue work to identify health disparities in communities around the world, through work like this. The school’s mission driven work is leading the creation and advancement of health equity.
