II. Epidemiology: Firearm related injury in United States
- U.S. Gunshot Wound overall Incidence
- Deaths: 100 per day
- Injury: 200 per day
- U.S. Gunshot WoundIncidence in teens and children (under age 20 years)
- Deaths per year: 6,000
- Severe injury per year: 24,000
III. History
- Precautions
- Ask about Gun Safety and storage as part of overall injury prevention and in neutral, non-politicized tones
- Focus on firearm responsibility and preventing unauthorized weapon access
- Screening
- Are there firearms in your home?
- Do you have access to firearms?
- Clarifying questions if screening positive
- How do you prevent unintended access to your firearms?
- How do you prevent high risk persons (e.g. children or suicidal patients) from gaining access to firearms?
- Do you have any concerns about your own mental health that worries you about your own firearm access?
IV. Prevention: General
- Firearms brought into the home should be unloaded
- Firearms should be secured within a locking device (e.g. trigger lock, locked gun case or safe)
- Ammunition should be placed in locked storage separate from firearms
V. Prevention: Community-Based Gun Safety Program
- North Carolina study
- Firearm Safety counseling
- Gun lock distribution and instruction on use
- Efficacy
- Increased gun lock use from 0 to 72%
- Decreased unlocked and loaded gun rate from 18 to 7%
- Reference
VI. Resources
- American Foundation for Firearm Injury Reduction in Medicine