Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society
mator of the ratio was used, • For the trend analysis, a Cochran- Armitage trend was calculated. RESULTS Number and rates of deaths by race, sex, and age groups During the 12-year period, there were a total of 9,722 firearm-related deaths. There were large discrepan- cies by race, sex, and age group. Whites (W) and African-Americans (AA) represented the large majority of deaths (9,632 deaths out of a total of 9,722 deaths, i.e 99% of all cases). There were only 91 other deaths, including 52 Asian males, 16 Asian females, 10 American/Indianmales, 3 American/Indian females, and 9 males and 1 female of unspecified race. Mortality rates are presented in Table 2 and Figure 1. There were major differences by age group, race, and sex. Overall, the annual mortal- ity rates per 100,000 were 52.0 for AA males, 23.3 for W males, 5.4 for AA females, and 5.1 for W females. The comparison between AA females and W females shows a crude rate ratio of 1.08 (Upton x 2 =0.938, p=0.33). A comparison for each age group shows that rates are significantly higher among AA females up to age 34, then show no significant difference from 35 to 44 and, from age 45 onward, rates are higher amongwhite females (overall stratified Mantel-Haenszel estima- tor of the ratio 1.11, MH x 2=3.42, p=0.06). There are important differ- ences between rates observed in AA males (overall rate 52.0) and W males (23.3). The crude rate ratio is 2.22, (Upton x 2 =1,368; p<0.0001). A pattern similar as that observed between females is observed among the two male groups, but with a wider difference. Up to age 44, the rates among AA males are two to five times higher than for W; then from age 45 to 54, the rates are practically equal between AA and W; finally above age 55 the Wmales
Figure 1: Annual firearm death rate by age group, sex, and race in Louisiana, 1999-2010.
Key: AAM=African-American Male; WM=White Male; AAF=African-American Female; WF= White Female
Figure 2: Age-adjusted* firearm death rate (per 100,000 population) United States (US) and Louisiana (LA), 1999-2010.
*US 2000 Standard Population, all races, both sexes
170 J La State Med Soc VOL 166 July/August 2014
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