Trends in violence-related emergency department visits among children and adolescents <18 years in 12 jurisdictions, January 2022–April 2025

Background Violence-related injuries are a serious cause of morbidity among children and youth. This study used timely emergency department (ED) visit data from 12 jurisdictions participating in CDC’s Advancing Violence Epidemiology in Real-Time (AVERT) program to examine trends in violence-related ED visits among children and youth. Methods ED visits involving youth violence, suspected child abuse and neglect, and sexual violence among children and youth during January 2022–April 2025 from the AVERT program were examined by individual-level and county-level characteristics. Results During the study period, among the violence-related ED visits examined, visit rates were highest for youth violence (860 per 100 000 visits among adolescents aged 10–17 years), followed by suspected child abuse and neglect (401 per 100 000 visits among persons aged 0–17 years) and sexual violence (221 per 100 000 visits among persons aged 0–17 years). Seasonally, youth violence visit rates typically increased during spring and fall; suspected child abuse and neglect and sexual violence visit rates peaked in summer. Child abuse and neglect and sexual violence visit rates were higher among adolescents aged 10–17 years compared with children aged 0–9 years, and highest among females, whereas youth violence rates were highest among males. Across all forms of violence, visit rates were higher among non-Hispanic Black or American Indian/Alaska Native persons compared with Asian persons, and among those living in urban versus rural counties. Discussion and conclusions Understanding the types of violence-related injuries that children and youth experience, when violence is most likely to occur, and who is at greatest risk is critical for informing prevention.