Citation

Forbis SG, McAllister TR, Monk SM, Schlorman CA, Stolfi A, Pascoe JM. J. Am. Board Fam. Med. 2007; 20(4): 385-391.

Affiliation

Department of Pediatrics, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, OH.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, American Board of Family Medicine)

DOI

10.3122/jabfm.2007.04.060118

PMID

17615419

Abstract

Background: To ascertain the prevalence of gun ownership, gun safety education, and parental attitudes on gun counseling in a Midwestern sample. Methods: Parents seeking care at participating practices in the Southwestern Ohio Ambulatory Research Network were recruited to complete a survey about gun ownership, gun safety education, and gun counseling attitudes. Attitudes and beliefs were compared between gun owners and non-gun owners. RESULTS: Twenty-four percent of respondents had at least 1 gun in the home. Military families were more likely to own a gun than civilian families (28% vs 18%, P = .001). Fifty-two percent of sample children have received gun safety education. Eight percent indicated that a physician had asked about guns or discussed gun safety issues during an office visit. A majority of parents indicated that physicians should ask about guns in the home (69%) and advise parents on safe storage (75%), but they should not advise parents to remove guns from the home (12% of gun owners, 42% of non-gun owners). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the morbidity and mortality associated with guns, physicians in this study do not seem to be addressing this risk with families. A majority of gun owners do not agree that physicians should counsel the removal of guns from the home but agree that they should discuss safe gun storage information.

Language: en