Blog
Hear from experts working to reduce firearm injury
The True Cost of Gun Violence in America
This journalistic piece found that the annual total cost of firearm-related death and injury in the United States was estimated at $229 billion for 2012 and that some costs, such as the mental health toll of trauma, remain difficult to quantify accurately.
Violent Death Rates: The US Compared with other High-income OECD Countries
Compared to other high-income countries, this study found that the rate of firearm-related death was significantly higher and has also increased between 2003 and 2010.
Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control has created an interactive, online database, WISQARS, to compile data about fatal and nonfatal injury, violent death, and cost of injury. This database is accessible to the public.
Change in Emergency Department Providers’ Beliefs and Practices After Use of New Protocols for Suicidal Patients
In this survey of Emergency Department physicans and nurses at multiple sites, researchers found evidence supporting universal suicide screening, including asking suicidal patients about their access to firearms.
Bullying and Weapon Carrying: A Meta-analysis
In this meta-analysis to examine the association between involvement in bullying and weapon carrying amongst adolescents, researchers found that victims, bullies, and bully-victims were more likely to carry weapons than uninvolved adolescents.
Beyond the trigger: The Mental Health Consequences of In-home Firearm Access among Children of Gun Owners
Given the high prevalence of households with firearms, this study researched the impact of firearm availability on psychological outcomes of children in the household, finding significantly increased depressive symptoms, particularly in female adolescents.
Attributable Risk of Psychiatric and Socio-economic Factors for Suicide from Individual-level, Population-based Studies: A Systematic Review
Using a systematic review and meta-analysis, this study found that "prevention strategies that focus on lower socio-economic strata (more distal risk factors) have the potential to have similar population-level effects as strategies which target more proximal psychiatric risk factors in the prevention and control of suicide." The results of this study can potentially help shape policy to focus on broader socio-economic factors rather than just individual ones when assessing for suicide risk in populations.
Associations between Active Shooter Incidents and Gun Ownership and Storage among Families with Young Children in the United States
Following an active shooter event, this study examined its effects on gun ownership and storage practices among families with young children and found that close geographical proximity to the event increased their likelihood of practicing better firearm storage practices.
Gun Storage Practices and Risk of Youth Suicide and Unintentional Firearm Injuries
A study measuring the association of household firearm storage practices and the risk of unintentional and self-inflicted firearm injuries.
Association of Suicide and Other Mortality With Emergency Department Presentation
Emergency departments are often on the frontlines of suicide prevention services. This study followed patients who presented to the emergency department for suicidal ideation or deliberate self-harm and found an increase risk in suicide in the one year after initial presentation, highlighting the need for safe transition between the ED and continuing outpatient mental health care.
Association of Prior Convictions for Driving Under the Influence With Risk of Subsequent Arrest for Violent Crimes Among Handgun Purchasers
This retrospective, longitudinal cohort study aimed at studying the association between prior convictions for driving under the influence (DUI) and risk of subsequent arrest for violent crimes among handgun purchasers. Results found that prior DUI convictions among legal purchasers of handguns may be associated with the risk of subsequent firearm violence and other crimes.
Association Between Firearm Ownership, Firearm-related Risk and Risk Reduction Behaviors and Alcohol-related Risk Behaviours
This cross-sectional study found that firearm ownership and risky firearm-related behaviors such as improper firearm storage are associated with heavy alcohol use.