Abstract
Background Gang violence is a problem across the United States, with as many as 1 million youth identified as gang members and over 400,000 children initiated into gangs each year. The negative impact of gang membership on a child's health and well-being has been well documented, though a national survey revealed that most pediatricians never or rarely screen for youth violence. Methods We utilized an 18-item survey that consisted of 3 components: Knowledge, Current Practice, and Beliefs About Pediatrician's Role. This was sent electronically to pediatric residents, internal medicine/pediatric residents and adolescent medicine fellows at 17 residency programs in 7 of the largest US cities. Each participant received compensation for completion of the survey with a small-value electronic gift card. Results Of the 206 responses received, 50% of participants reported currently completing their residency training in Chicago, while 27% were in New York and 21% in Los Angeles. While 95% (n = 196) reported believing that gang violence is a problem in the city they are completing residency, 85% (n = 176) stated they do not routinely screen patients and families for the possibility of gang participation. Additionally, 62% (n = 128) of responders stated that they are “a little uncomfortable” or “very uncomfortable” assessing risks for gang violence among children and families, while 58% (n = 119) reported being “a little uncomfortable” or “very uncomfortable” discussing gang violence with families. Conclusion Our data demonstrates that a majority of residents surveyed are not routinely screening for risk factors of gang initiation or gang violence, and many do not feel comfortable having these discussions with patients or families. This identifies an important educational gap and provides an opportunity to develop a specific, targeted curriculum for pediatric trainees regarding screening for gang violence.
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