2025 Children's of Alabmama Community Health Needs Assessment

Table 16. Top Safety Issues by Age of Respondent Age Band n Top Issue and Mean Second Issue and Mean Under 18 14 Substance abuse by caregivers, 5.6 Firearm injury, 5.9 18 to 24 20 Suicide, 4.8

Substance abuse by caregiver and Firearm violence, 5.3

25 to 34 104 Firearm injury, 5.8 35 to 44 217 Suicide, 5.7 45 to 54 152 Screentime, 5.2

Suicide, 6.0

Substance abuse by caregivers, 5.9 Substance abuse by caregivers, 5.7

55 to 64 148 Screentime/social media, 5.6 65 to 74 82 Screentime/social media, 4.8 Substance abuse by caregivers, 5.7 75 to 84 26 Substance abuse by caregivers, 4.8 Childcare access, quality, affordability, 4.9 Suicide, 5.8

“You have to watch the people you hang around…. At sports games …they pull out a gun.” — Birmingham City student

White respondents identified screen time/ social media as the top issue. Firearm injury was the top issue for Black/African American, Hispanic, and Native American respondents. See Table 17.

Table 17. Top Safety Issues by Race of Respondent Race/Ethnicity n Issue

Mean

White

596 Screen time/social media 5.8

Black or African American Hispanic/Latino/Latina

133 Firearm injury

5.8 4.3 5.0

10 Suicide

Asian

8

Firearm injury

American Indian or Alaska Native 14 Firearm injury

5

Other

14 Childcare access

5.9

Once again, geography is a significant differentiator. Respondents in the Birmingham MSA or urban areas both identified suicide as the top issue, whereas respondents outside the Birmingham MSA or rural areas identified substance abuse by caregivers. A similar split exists with parents and professional roles. Parents and healthcare providers chose suicide. Non-parents and educators identified screen time. See Table 18.

Table 18. Top Safety Issues by Category Category n Issue

Mean

Birmingham MSA 5.8 Outside the Birmingham MSA 329 Substance abuse by caregivers 5.6 Urban 536 Suicide 5.8 Rural 230 Substance abuse by caregivers 5.6 Parent of a minor child 361 Suicide 6 Not the parent of a minor child 396 Screentime 5.6 Healthcare Professional 416 Suicide 5.8 Educator 72 Screentime 5.4 437 Suicide

Children’s of Alabama, 2025 CHNA

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