Citation

South EC, Hemenway D, Webster DW. Prev. Med. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107325

PMID

36374716

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has perhaps been the defining event worldwide in the 21st century, impacting all people and all facets of life. The consequences of the pandemic have been devastating for gun violence in the United States (US), with the firearm homicide rate increasing nearly 35% after the start of the pandemic, widening already existing racial, ethnic, and economic disparities; Overall firearm suicide rates remained stable after the pandemic, but notably increased among people aged 10-44 and among indigenous populations (Kegler et al., 2022). Further, the purchase of firearms in the US has risen dramatically since the pandemic and ghost guns present new challenges in firearm regulation (Schleimer et al., 2021). The impact of the pandemic on gun violence is directly and indirectly woven throughout the articles of this special issue.

The surge of firearm violence has been met with an important surge in research about all aspects of this public health crisis. The 32 articles in this special issue represent the leading edge of gun violence prevention research, and a hopeful path for the future. Collectively, they remind us that high-quality, policy-relevant science, especially work that is rooted in the power of those most directly impacted by gun violence, can be a guidepost for us all. The authors are diverse across a range of demographics, including race, ethnicity, gender, and academic rank, and remind us what an intentionally inclusive approach in academia can look like. Finally, we are reminded that the work does not stop with the publication of this special issue. Rather, this new knowledge, blended with our existing understanding of prevention, must be used to inform action at all levels...

Language: en