@article{ref1,
title="Gun purchasing behaviours during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, March to mid-July 2020",
journal="International review of psychiatry",
year="2021",
author="Crifasi, Cassandra K. and Ward, Julie A. and McGinty, Emma E. and Webster, Daniel W. and Barry, Colleen L.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="We sought to characterize gun and ammunition purchasing during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic using a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. We fielded a survey using NORC's Amerispeak Panel between 7 and 22 July 2020 (survey completion rate = 91.1%, N = 1337). We used survey-weighted data to calculate the proportion of adults who purchased a gun during this time period and types of guns and amount of ammunition purchased. Between March and mid-July 2020, 6% of adults purchased a gun and 9% bought ammunition. Of those purchasing a gun, 34% were first-time purchasers. Among those purchasing ammunition, 19% reported purchasing more than usual in response to the COVID-19 pandemic while 27% purchased less than usual. An estimated 6,451,163 adults bought guns for the first time between March and mid-July 2020. Increases in gun purchasing, particularly among first-time gun owners, could pose significant short- and long-term implications for public health.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0954-0261",
doi="10.1080/09540261.2021.1901669",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2021.1901669"
}