Violently injured patients seen in the emergency department of Barnes-Jewish Hospital: a descriptive study of context, future views and spirituality.
To explore the characteristics of individuals who were evaluated and treated at an urban university medical center emergency room due to violence-related injuries. The study also explored issues of religion and/or spirituality.


METHODS
Seventy-three violently injured patients (VIPs) who required hospitalization were systematically interviewed for this study while seeking treatment through the emergency department at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. The interviews were conducted by the emergency room (ER) chaplain. More than one-third (38%) of these VIPs had previously been arrested for assault. For more than half (52%), this was their first experience with emergency care for a violent injury, while nearly half (48%) reported previous experience with violence. Sixty-two percent of the patients said they vowed to get revenge. Gunshot wounds accounted for almost half (45%) of the injuries. This report provides descriptive data about the characteristics of VIPs who required hospital care after a violence-related attack, the context of the event and provides data about how spirituality/religion issues were used to cope with the aftermath of these attacks. The cycle of violence clearly calls for interventions and solutions involving hospitals and the community.
Hong
Barry A
BA
Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, USA. hongb@psychiatry.wustl.edu
Olatunde
Lawrence
L
McGill
Kamara L Smith
KL
Ridenour
Ty A
TA
Lucas
Arthur
A
North
Carol S
CS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D014754:Violence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy