The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on community violence in Connecticut

Introduction: Natural disasters may lead to increases in community violence due to broad social disruption, economic hardship, and large-scale morbidity and mortality. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on community violence is unknown. Methods: Using trauma registry data on all violence-related patient presentations in Connecticut from 2018 to 2021, we compared the pattern of violence-related trauma from pre-COVID and COVID pandemic using an interrupted time series linear regression model. Results: There was a 55% increase in violence-related trauma in the COVID period compared with the pre-COVID period (IRR: 1.55; 95%CI: 1.34-1.80; p-value<0.001) driven largely by penetrating injuries. This increase disproportionately impacted Black/Latinx communities (IRR: 1.61; 95%CI: 1.36-1.90; p-value<0.001). Conclusion: Violence-related trauma increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased community violence is a significant and underappreciated negative health and social consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and one that excessively burdens communities already at increased risk from systemic health and social inequities.