Youth in US poverty-stricken areas more likely to die from firearms: US News & World Report

WASHINGTON - A latest study has found that US youth living in high-poverty areas are more likely to die from gun violence than peers living in more affluent areas, said an article published on the US News and World Report website.

Having analyzing data from 2006 to 2017, the study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that 62 percent of firearm-related deaths occurred in counties where the percentage of residents who lived below the federal poverty level was 15 percent or greater, the article released on Tuesday reported.

According to the study, during that period, more than 67,000 youth between the ages of 5 and 24 were killed due to gun violence, and the annual rate of total firearm-related deaths among youth has increased from 8.5 for every 100,000 residents in 2007 to 9.2 deaths per 100,000 in 2016.

The study lead author Dr. Jefferson Barrett, according to the article, voiced his hope that the findings will encourage new approaches to addressing youth gun violence that focus on alleviating the socioeconomic issues that put them at greater risk.

"The hope is that pediatricians, public health doctors and advocates can use these findings to advocate for change," Barrett was quoted by the article as saying.