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Fall 2009 |
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Guns in the Home --
Mary Larew, MD |
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Intentional injuries are a significant cause of mortality in children and youth 10 to 19 years old. In the 10 to 14 year age-range, suicide is the third most common cause of death in the United States and homicide the fourth. Of 15 to 19 year olds, homicide is the second most common cause of death and suicide is the third.
Minority males bear a disproportionate burden of intentional injury: homicide is the leading cause of death in African-American male teens and young adults.
Firearms are the most successful agent used in suicide and homicide.
Children and youth are particularly vulnerable to the devastation of firearms. They sustained 41 percent of all firearm deaths and injuries in 2005. |
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The United States has the unenviable position of having the highest rate of firearm deaths compared to 25 other industrialized nations. In fact, the rate for U.S. children younger than 15 was almost 12 times higher than for the same aged children in the other 25 countries combined. Estimates suggest there are approximately 90 guns for every 100 people in the United States and one-third to one-half of U.S. homes contain firearms.
Although some use firearms for hunting, the primary reason given for gun ownership is protection of self and family. Paradoxically, these guns are many times more likely to cause injury or death to those living in the home—up to 43 times more likely in some reports. A recent study by the Harvard Injury Control Research Center states, “The opportunity for a law-abiding gun owner to use a gun in a socially desirable manner—against a criminal during the commission of a crime—will occur…perhaps once or never in a lifetime. It is a rare event.” |
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The risk of homicide increases by 40 to 170 percent and suicide by 90 to 460 percent in a home containing guns. Over three-fourths of guns used in suicide attempts and unintentional injuries of 0 to 19 year-olds were stored in the residence of the victim, a relative, or a friend. Nearly two-thirds of 37 school shootings in 26 states were committed by an attacker who got the gun from his or her own home or the home of a relative.
Parents often think that young children don’t know the location of guns in the home or can’t use them. However, children as young as three can fire handguns. In fact, 8 percent of unintentional shooting deaths result from shots fired by children under the age of six. |
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The AAP also understands the importance of addressing the underlying causes of violence and recently released a policy statement. (“Role of the Pediatrician in Youth Violence Prevention,” Pediatrics Vol. 124 No. 1 July 2009, 393-402). This statement refers to Connected Kids: Safe, Strong, Secure, the AAP’s primary care violence prevention protocol, which incorporates risk screening and strength-based anticipatory guidance during routine well visits, from birth to adulthood. It also encourages those caring for children to advocate at the community and national level to promote adequate mental health services, protect children from exposure to violent media and guns, and decrease bullying. Through all these efforts, there is hope for a less violent and healthier future for our children and youth. |
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