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Abstract
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Firearm-related injuries and deaths are endemic in the United States today. Reading the daily news, many American citizens reflect upon the horrors of mass shootings and sense the daily homicides and suicides that kill 5 Americans every hour of every day, on average (1).
Less publicized but equally tragic are unintentional firearm-related deaths and injuries. Validating the accuracy of data remains challenging (2), but CDC estimates suggest that in 2020, about 535 Americans were killed by an "accidental" firearm-related death. Approximately 29,000 were injured seriously enough to visit the emergency department. Over 25% of those deaths and 15% of injuries were children (1).
Strategies to prevent unintentional firearms-related injuries and deaths overlap with but are unique from those to prevent suicide and homicide. Policy-making is discussed most prominently. Laws that keep guns out of the hands of youth, criminals, and those with serious mental illness, for example, will likely prevent unintentional firearms injuries as well as intentional ones. However, they are unlikely to create major change. Guns are and will likely always remain in American homes, suggesting they are and will likely always remain a threat for unintentional misuse.
Solutions
Three concurrent strategies might slow the scourge of unintentional firearms injuries: change adult behavior, change youth behavior, and engineer safer firearm and firearm storage options. Pervading all three is the need for respect and cooperation with firearms owners. Almost universally, gun owners support firearms safety. They readily acknowledge the potential of their firearms to cause injury and they support efforts to teach safety. The Public Health Code of Ethics mandates cultural sensitivity and inclusivity by public health professionals, principles that apply not just to underserved or minority groups but also to sociopolitical groups like firearms owners who voice firm opinions about policies and legislation related to firearms ownership and use...
Language: en |