Firearm Surveillance
FASTER-GA
Firearm Injury Surveillance Through Emergency Room Visit: FASTER
Overview
Firearm-related injuries and death are a serious public health problem in the United States (U.S.), and particularly so in Georgia. In 2019 and according to the National Vital Statistics, 39,707 U.S. residents died due to firearm injuries, an age-adjusted rate of 11.83/100,000. Of these deaths, 1,695 were Georgians (age-adjusted rate of 15.78/100,000), a rate 33% higher than the U.S., ranking Georgia 15th in firearm-related deaths in the U.S. and the 10th for the south region of the U.S. (https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html)
The Firearm Injury Surveillance Through Emergency Rooms: Georgia Approach (FASTER-GA) is a CDC-funded program awarded to the Georgia Department of Public Health to improve the timeliness of surveillance for Emergency Department (ED) visits of nonfatal firearm injuries.
Objectives
- Conduct surveillance of nonfatal firearm injuries to assess changes and trends in firearm-related injuries.
- Improve the accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of reporting of ED visits for nonfatal firearm injuries.
- Provide surveillance data to partners to facilitate the implementation of evidence-based strategies targeting Georgians at greatest risk of nonfatal firearm injuries.
- Respond to rapid increases or clusters of firearm-related injuries.
Contact Information