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Abstract
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Five major US medical associations have formed a coalition to work towards ending the nation's epidemic of gun violence, which it has called "a public health crisis."1
Gun related injury is now the leading cause of death for US children and adolescents aged 1 to 19, replacing automobile accident deaths.
About 45% of US households have a gun2 and there are more than 400 million guns in the US, which has a population of about 330 million. In 2021, 48 830 Americans died from firearm violence. About 54% of the deaths were suicides, 43% were murders, and the others were police action, accidents, and "unknown," according to the report from the five associations. Gun violence disproportionately affects children, adolescents, and young men of colour.
The American College of Surgeons, the American College of Physicians, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American Academy of Paediatrics, and the Council of Medical Specialty Societies announced the formation of the Healthcare Coalition for Firearm Injury Prevention on 6 March 6.3
The coalition grew from two medical summits on preventing firearm injury in 2019 and 2022, as firearm injuries and deaths increased. During the first year of the covid-19 pandemic firearm deaths in the US increased by 28.4% and injuries increased by 34.2%. The findings of the summit are in press.3
The coalition plans to make community level efforts to prevent firearm injuries, to engage firearm owners in the effort while recognising Americans' second amendment right to carry weapons, and to take a consensus based, comprehensive public health approach. A similar approach has successfully reduced motor vehicle deaths.
Language: en |