Looking at firearm injuries as a health problem means that we can research and implement public health solutions that work.
More than 100 people die, and more than 300 people a day are injured in the United States from a gunshot wound.
The survivors: Ripple effects on survivors and families include mental health issues, substance use disorder, and more.
In recent years, firearm injury has surpassed car crashes to become the leading cause of death of U.S. children.
The leading cause of gun death is suicide.
On average, 60% of gun deaths were suicides over the last decade.
Firearm suicide death rates have been rising since 2006, and firearm homicide rates have been increasing since 2014.
Firearm deaths are distributed across rural, suburban, and urban areas, but are generally highest in communities with social and economic vulnerability, communities affected by racial inequities, and communities with higher rates of firearm ownership.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office estimates that medical treatment for firearm injuries costs the U.S. more than $1 billion per year.
To note: This figure is a significant underestimate, as it does not account for criminal justice and economic effects of violence.
We can use the tools of public health, which have improved other problems like car crash fatalities, to research and implement solutions that work:
This approach must be collaborative and involve both gun owners and non-owners to achieve change.