Citation

Pinto AD. Med. Conflict. Surviv. 2008; 24(4): 285-295.

Affiliation

Physicians for Global Survival, Ottawa, ON K1R 6P1, Canada. andrew.pinto@utoronto.ca

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

19065869

Abstract

Health professionals have long been involved with advocacy around the social determinants of health, including protesting against war and mitigating the production, trade and use of specific weapon systems. Small arms and light weapons are a key area on which to focus, as they are responsible for the majority of injuries and deaths in war and their availability is related to increased levels of crime and suicide. Challenges for health professionals hoping to engage in such advocacy include a lack of adequate data, the need to confront political questions and the gun-lobby, and difficulty in measuring the effectiveness of campaigns. This article discusses some examples of successful advocacy and suggests future directions for health professionals in this area.

Language: en