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Module 2: The Biomechanics of Trauma

Segment 2: Patient & Wounding Agent Characteristics

References labeled PEDS contain a pediatric element or primary focus.

Topic: Patient characteristics

  • A national protocol for sexual assault medical forensic examinations: Adults/adolescents. Third edition U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (2024). https://www.justice.gov/ovw/media/1367191/dl?inline. PEDS
  • Benavides F, Liporaci J, Getchell J, et al. Effects of pre-existing psychiatric illness on traumatic brain injury outcomes: A propensity-matched cohort study. Trauma. 2024;26(4):331-336. doi: 10.1177/14604086231187157 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/14604086231187157.
  • Brockhus LA, Liasidis P, Lewis M, et al. Injury patterns and outcomes in motorcycle driver crashes in the United States: The effect of helmet use. Injury. 2024;55(3):111196. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2023.111196 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38030451/.
  • Violence prevention fast facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/violence-prevention/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/can/CAN-factsheet_2022.pdf.
  • Cho NY, Coaston T, Vadlakonda A, et al. Contemporary trends in incidence and outcomes of domestic violence among trauma patients in the US. Injury. 2025;doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2025.112772 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41033958/.
  • Doran J, Salih M, Bell A, et al. Major trauma patients and their outcomes - A retrospective observational study of critical care trauma admissions to a trauma unit with special services. Injury. 2024;55(8):111622. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2024.111622 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38905903/.
  • Duncan AJ, Bloomsberg SJ, Ahmeti M. Utility of Social Vulnerability Index in trauma: A systematic review. Injury. 2024;doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2024.112016 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39550803/.
  • Edwards C, Tilley DS, Maeker B. Caring for patients who experienced sexual violence. Nursing2023. 2023;53(10):11-12. doi: 10.1097/01.Nurse.0000977548.13011.87 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37734011/.
  • El-Menyar A, Mekkodathil A, Rizoli S, et al. Sex-based case fatality rate of violence-related injuries among 522,939 patients: Retrospective analysis. Injury. 2026;57(3):113078. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2026.113078 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41653539/.
  • Hachey LM, Phillippi JC. Identification and management of human trafficking victims in the emergency department. Adv Emerg Nurs J. 2017;39(1):31-51. doi: 10.1097/tme.0000000000000138 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28141609/.
  • Hendricks KJ, Hendricks SA, Marsh SM. Workplace injury and death: A national overview of changing trends by sex, United States 1998-2022. Am J Ind Med. 2024;doi: 10.1002/ajim.23687 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39674912/.
  • Herrera-Escobar JP, Schneider JC. From survival to survivorship: Framing traumatic injury as a chronic condition. N Engl J Med. 2022;doi: 10.1056/NEJMp2205162 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35960203/.
  • Jarrell KL, Pulvino C, Kimmel A, et al. A case of human trafficking in Appalachia and what emergency physicians can learn from it. West J Emerg Med. 2023;24(3):463-468. doi: 10.5811/westjem.58400 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37278774/.
  • Kafka JM, Moracco KE, Graham LM, et al. Intimate partner violence circumstances for fatal violence in the US. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(5):e2312768-e2312768. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.12768 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37163268/.
  • Morris MC, Vearrier L, Kutcher ME, et al. Understanding disparities in firearm mortality: The role of person- and place-based factors. Injury. 2025;56(5):112275. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2025.112275 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40121169/.
  • Roehler DR, Elliott MR, Quinlan KP, et al. Factors associated with unrestrained young passengers in motor vehicle crashes. Pediatrics. 2019;143(3) doi: 10.1542/peds.2018-2507 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30718381/. PEDS
  • Schaffer KB, Schwendig G, Nasrallah F, et al. Falls from a balcony while intoxicated: a new injury trend among young adults? Inj Epidemiol. 2019;6:4. doi: 10.1186/s40621-019-0181-3 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31245253/.
  • Schuh JM, Tomas CW, Kallies KJ, et al. Injury across the lifespan: Comparing pediatric and adult injury patterns in the home and the community. Injury. 2025;57(2):112925. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2025.112925 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41518851/.
  • Scott S, Brameier DT, Tryggedsson I, et al. Intimate partner violence: An updated review of prevalence, identification, and screening tools for orthopaedic surgeons and training in medical education. Injury. 2024;55(10):111800. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2024.111800 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39121806/.
  • Stephens CQ, Newton C, Kappy B, et al. Extreme weather injuries and fatalities, 2006 to 2021. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(8):e2429826. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.29826 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39186269/.
  • Tefft BC. Acute sleep deprivation and culpable motor vehicle crash involvement. Sleep. 2018;41(10) doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsy144 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30239905/.
  • Vaajala M, Teuho A, Liukkonen R, et al. Association between adolescent lifestyle factors and high-energy traumas in early adulthood: A longitudinal study. Injury. 2024;55(12) doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2024.112008 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39509870/. PEDS
  • Wilson NA, Ruffolo L, Juviler P, et al. Neighborhood deprivation is a risk factor for severe child physical abuse: A multicenter cohort investigation. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2025;99(3):453-459. doi: 10.1097/ta.0000000000004560 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39910714/.
  • Zwald ML, Holland KM, Sumner SA, et al. Trends in firearm injuries treated in emergency departments by individual- and county-level characteristics, 2019 to 2023. Ann Emerg Med. 2024;doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2024.11.003 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39674936/.


Topic: Characteristics of the wounding agent

  • Descamps C, Hamada S, Hanouz JL, et al. Gunshot and stab wounds in France: descriptive study from a national trauma registry. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg. 2021;48:3821-3829. doi: 10.1007/s00068-021-01742-9 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34232339/.
  • Lyons J. Epidemiology of ballistic fractures in the United States: A 20-year analysis of the Firearm Injury Surveillance Study. Injury. 2022;53:3663-3672. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2022.09.011 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36130861/.