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Hear from experts working to reduce firearm injury

Peer-Reviewed Article

Firearm Presence in Households of Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias

Spangenberg, K.B., Wagner, M.T., Hendrix, S., et al.
Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 1999

This cross-sectional study found a high prevalence of firearm prevalence and unsafe firearm storage practices in households with demented family members.

Peer-Reviewed Article

Yes, You Can: Physicians, Patients, and Firearms

Wintemute, G.J., Betz, M.E., & Ranney, M.L.
Annals of Internal Medicine, 2016

Despite concern that local regulations prohibit physicians from asking about or providing counseling about firearm safety, this article finds that there are actually only rare exceptions where this is the case. This paper also summarizes the literature on current physician practices in asking and counseling about firearms, highlighting strategies to reduce patients' risk for firearm-related death or serious injury.

Peer-Reviewed Article

Differences Between New and Long-standing US Gun Owners: Results from a National Survey

Wertz, J., Azrael, D., Hemenway, D., et al.
American Journal of Public Health , 2018

This cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative probability-based online survey conducted in 2015 in the United States found that new gun owners were more likely to be younger, liberal, own fewer guns, and implement safe storage methods.

Peer-Reviewed Article

Feasibility and Acceptability of Interventions to Delay Gun Access in VA Mental Health Settings

Walters, H., Kulkarni, M., Forman, J., et al.
General Hospital Psychiatry., 2012.

In this paper, the VA was found to have a substantial role in addressing gun safety, particularly in implementing measures to delay gun access during high-risk periods for suicide.

Peer-Reviewed Article

Family Practice Physicians’ Firearm Safety Counseling Beliefs and Behaviors

Everett, S.A., Price, J.H., Bedell, A.W., et al.
Journal of Community Health, 1997

Survey response by the American Academy of Family Physicians found that the majority of respondents rarely counseled patients about firearm safety, and many did not believe it to be a priority in their delivery of primary care.

Peer-Reviewed Article

Firearm Injury Prevention Counseling: Are We Missing the Mark?

Becher, E.C., & Christakis, N.A.
Pediatrics, 1999

This study found that pediatricians often underestimate the likelihood of their patients' families owning gun, making them less likely to engage in a conversation about firearm safety with those families.

Peer-Reviewed Article

Pediatricians’ Involvement in Gun Injury Prevention

Olson, L.M., Christoffel, K.K., & O'Connor, K.G.
Injury Prevention, 2007

In an effort to understand pediatricians' beliefs regarding firearm injury prevention, this study found that pediatricians in the United States believed firearm safety counseling was part of their responsibility, though many felt that they did not have time or sufficient training to do so.

Peer-Reviewed Article

Firearm Injury Prevention Counseling by Pediatricians and Family Physicians. Practices and Beliefs

Grossman, D.C., Mang, K., & Rivara, F.P.
Archive of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 1995

Although most primary care physicians believe they have a responsibility to counsel families about firearm safety, this study found that the minority of primary care physicians taking care of children actually do.

Peer-Reviewed Article

Internists’ and Surgeons’ Attitudes Toward Guns and Firearm Injury Prevention

Cassel, C.K. , Nelson, E.A., Smith, T.W., et al.
Annals of Internal Medicine, 1998

Structured telephone interviews of internists and surgeons found that they believed firearm violence is a major public health issue and that physicians should be involved with firearm injury prevention.

Peer-Reviewed Article

Firearm Injury Prevention Counseling: A Study of Pediatricians’ Beliefs and Practices

Webster, D.W., Wilson, M.E., Duggan, A.K., et al.
Pediatrics, 1992

Responses from a mail survey of the Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics on firearm injury prevention revealed that although most pediatricians believe that firearm safety counseling is an important responsibility, a minority of pediatricians actually discuss firearm injury prevention with families.

Peer-Reviewed Article

Who are the Owners of Firearms used in Adolescent Suicides?

Johnson, R.M., Barber, C., Azrael, D., et al.
Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior., 2010.

Examining 63 firearm suicides among youth across the United States in 2001 and 2002, researchers found that the majority of these suicides occurred at home and most of the firearms implicated in the suicide were owned by parents.

Peer-Reviewed Article

Guns in the Home and Risk of a Violent Death in the Home: Findings from a National Study

Dahlberg, L.L., Ikeda, R.M., & Kresnow, M.J.
American Journal of Epidemiology, 2004

Results from this study analyzing data from a United States mortality follow-back survey reveal that having a firearm in the home raises the risk of firearm homicide and firearm suicide in the home, regardless of storage practices, number of firearms, or type of firearm.

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