Project UJIMA: working together to make things right.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this paper is to describe a group of pediatric patients who utilize services of Project UJIMA, a collaborative, community-based violence intervention/prevention program serving the greater Milwaukee metropolitan area. Program goals are to (1) reduce the rates of re-injury and premature death; and (2) minimize adverse psychological consequences of violence.


METHODS
Retrospective observation of 218 patients who presented to an urban pediatric Emergency Department in 1998 as a result of interpersonal violent injury and received some level of service from Project UJIMA.


RESULTS
Patient age ranged from 10 to 18 years with an average of 15 years. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of patients were male. The majority of patients were African-American (69%), followed by caucasian (21%), and Latino (8%). Physical assault was the leading type of injury (62%). Nearly one-third of cases were due to firearms (31%). Three youths required a repeat ED visit due to interpersonal injury. One hundred fifty-six (72%) were referred for mental health services to address adverse psychological effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Project UJIMA is approaching its goals of (1) reducing injury recidivism rates in this population; and (2) providing services to address related mental health issues.
Marcelle
D R
DR
Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Pediatrics, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. marcelle@mcw.edu
Melzer-Lange
M D
MD
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002669:Child Welfare; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*