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Call for papers - The impact of gun violence

Guest Editors:
Folafoluwa Odetola, MB ChB, MPH, University of Michigan, United States
Bailey Roberts, MD, Hofstra University, United States

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 31 December 2024


BMC Pediatrics is calling for submissions to our Collection on The impact of gun violence.

In an era marked by increasing concerns over firearm-related incidents, this collection aims to examine the complex relationship between gun violence and the health and well-being of children and adolescents.

By addressing the multifaceted impact of gun violence on pediatric healthcare, this collection seeks to contribute to evidence-based strategies for preventing firearm-related injuries among children and improving the support and care available to young survivors, promoting the health and safety of children and adolescents affected by gun violence.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Folafoluwa Odetola, MB ChB, MPH, University of Michigan, United States

Folafoluwa Odetola, MB ChB, MPH, is an Associate Professor of critical care medicine and health services research in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Michigan. He provides care to critically ill children within the pediatric intensive care unit at Mott Children’s Hospital and his research interests focus on the optimization of health care delivery to critically ill and injured children through bridging the gap between evidence and practice, in-depth evaluation of the processes of care, and rigorous assessment of patient outcomes.

Bailey Roberts, MD, Hofstra University, United States

Bailey Roberts is a General Surgery research resident at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, NY. Her career interests include pediatric surgery, and her research interests span a variety of pediatric surgical diseases, including oncologic translational research and clinical and public health related research and advocacy, particularly with firearm related injuries. She is passionate about firearm injury prevention and the public health approach including advocacy, implementation strategies and research supporting these topics.

About the Collection

BMC Pediatrics is calling for submissions to our Collection on The impact of gun violence.

Gun violence is a pressing public health issue with consequences that extend well beyond the immediate physical injuries. Pediatric healthcare professionals are on the front lines of addressing this multifaceted problem, tending to the physical and emotional wounds of young victims and striving to prevent the occurrence of further harm.

In an era marked by increasing concerns over firearm-related incidents, this collection aims to examine the complex relationship between gun violence and the health and well-being of children and adolescents.  It aims to gather the latest research and insights into the myriad ways gun violence affects pediatric healthcare, with topics of interest including but not limited to:

  • Trauma Care: Investigating the impact of gunshot injuries on children and adolescents, including their immediate and long-term physical and psychological consequences, and innovative approaches to trauma care.
  • Mental Health: Exploring the psychological trauma, post-traumatic stress, and emotional well-being of young survivors of gun violence and strategies for providing effective mental health support.
  • Health Disparities: Analysing the disproportionate impact of gun violence on vulnerable populations and underserved communities and exploring strategies to address these disparities.
  • Community Resilience: Exploring community-level approaches to building resilience and healing in the aftermath of gun violence incidents involving children.


By addressing the multifaceted impact of gun violence on pediatric healthcare, this collection seeks to contribute to evidence-based strategies for preventing firearm-related injuries among children and improving the support and care available to young survivors, promoting the health and safety of children and adolescents affected by gun violence.

Image credit: IndiaUniform / Getty Images / iStock

  1. Accidental and assault gunshot wounds (GSWs) are the second leading cause of injury in the United States for youth ages 1- to 17-years-old, resulting in significant negative effects on pediatric patients’ ment...

    Authors: Molly E. Hale, Kahyah Pinkman, Alexis M. Quinoy and Kindell R. Schoffner
    Citation: BMC Pediatrics 2024 24:397
    Content type: Research Published on:

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "The impact of gun violence" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.