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Abstract
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INTRODUCTION: While some legislative efforts have focused on limiting access to firearms, fewer efforts have evaluated the cultural forces driving the gun violence epidemic in the United States. As men are more likely to be involved with gun violence, gender inequality and toxic masculinity have been postulated as influencers of gun violence. This study assessed the relationship between population-level gender inequality and firearm-injuries.
Methods: Observational study of the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) database in 2010 was performed. Gunshot wounds (GSW) were identified using ICD-9-CM External Cause codes, grouped by patient county of residence, and compared with county population sizes from 2010 Census. Gender inequality was measured by adapting the United Nation's Gender Inequality Index (GII), including rates of maternal mortality, adolescent births, secondary education, labor force participation, and legislative participation; and calculated for every county in NY State based on public health data. Higher GII represents greater inequality.
Results: A total of 2,342 GSW patients were identified; 91.7% occurred in men. The median county-level GSW rates per 10,000 population was 9.40 (interquartile range [IQR] 3.93-14.23). The median county-level GII was 0.20 (IQR 0.16-0.27). The correlation coefficient between GII and GSW was +0.43 (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: A moderate association exists between gender inequality in a population and its gunshot injury rates, and areas with higher gender inequality are more likely to experience more gun violence and associated injuries. Future efforts should aim to understand the relationship between gender inequality, including pressures of masculinity, and firearm-related violence.
Language: en |