Reviewer’s report
Title: 
Perceptions of Firearms in a cohort of Women Exposed to Intimate
Partner Violence (IPV) in Central Pennsylvania
Version: 
0 
Date: 
08 Jul 2020
Reviewer's report:
Reviewers comments
Major issues: The paper speaks to an important issue surrounding violence and
firearms prevalent in the context of a particular region in the United States of
America. The paper addresses a key gap in the literature and has vital
implications for public health education and interventions. The major room for
improvement would be to design a diagram that visually connects the key
concepts/issues of the paper together. This, I believe will enhance the ease of
reading and interpretation of results. 
Minor issues: Other weaknesses of the paper are grammatical. For example,
when using compound names (i.e. past year), join word with a hyphen (i.e. past-
year). I find this a recurrent issue throughout the paper. Other details are given
below.
Abstract: For the most part, the abstract is well written and communicates the
important messages of the study. However, in the results sub-section, the authors
did not compare the result within each characteristic fully. For example, the
authors compared the results between the women ages (47-54 to ages 19-34); the
same should be done for the other characteristics. 
Background:
Page 3, line 29-30. Clarify what the pronoun "those" is referring to. In times of
personal stress and natural disaster? 
Page 3, line 31. It is unclear what the "stresses" are that the authors are referring
to? If it is a singular "stress", then make it so. Take cue from page 12 line 14.
Page 3, line 34. Change "for" to "the". 
Page 4, line 38-39. include "of" after "understanding".
Methods: Your work combines several concepts and key terms. I suggest you
draw a conceptual/schematic diagram to show the linkages and association
between the concepts. This will help the reader to better follow your work
clearly.
Page 6, line 36. include "three" before "primary outcomes".
Page 8, line 24. What are "these variables"? Are you referring to the
demographic variables? If so, please state it, as its current rendition in not clear.
Results:
Page 8, line 55-56. Include "the" before "median age".
Page 9, line 4-5. Consider revising the sentence starting "The cohort". Here is a
suggestion: "Of the cohort, 54% resided in rural areas, while 48% were married".
Page 9, line 14. Rephrase the subject of the sentence - "For ease of gun
acquisition" - so that it reads well for English.
Page 9, line 29-40. I advise that the authors' place emphasis on reporting the
significant variables alone. If insignificant variables are to be reported, then it is
expected that their insignificance has important implications, and thus, should be
discussed.
Discussion:
Page 11, line 14-17. Change "IPV exposed women" to "IPV-exposed women".
This is a typical case of not applying a hyphen to a compound word. Without the
hyphen, the sentence could mean something entirely different to what the authors
are really trying to communicate.
Page 11, line 26-54. This paragraph could this be placed under a sub-heading,
i.e. "strengths and weakness/limitations of the study" or "what this study adds".
Tables: The tables can benefit from a more descriptive title, particularly Table 2
of which a title is missing. It is appropriate to present adjusted odd ratios with
their corresponding confidence intervals; however, it is equally important to
show the significance values for each odd ratio either by using asterisk or p-
values. Adjust the column 4 of table 2 such that 95% is placed on the same line
as CI. The authors can present odd ratios to the second decimal place for greater
precision. Information about what "higher odds ratio indicates" can be noted at
the bottom of the table. Attempt indenting the within-factor coding such as (19-
34, 35-46, Non-white Hispanic, etc) in column 1 of Table 2.
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No
Are the methods appropriate and well described?
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.
Yes
Does the work include the necessary controls?
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the
authors.
Yes
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.
Yes
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you
recommend an additional statistical review?
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects
require further assessment in your comments to the editors.
I recommend additional statistical review
Quality of written English
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:
Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited
Declaration of competing interests
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organization that holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of
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paper?
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interests' below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.
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