Violence, firearms, and the coronavirus pandemic: findings from the 2020 California Safety and Wellbeing Survey

Abstract IMPORTANCE Violence is a significant public health problem that has become entwined with the coronavirus pandemic. Conditions that contribute to violence—poverty, unemployment, lack of available resources, isolation, hopelessness, and loss—have intensified and are further compounded by the recent surge in firearm sales, which is itself a risk factor for firearm-related harm. OBJECTIVE To describe individuals’ worry about violence for themselves and others in the context of the pandemic, pandemic-related unfair treatment, as well as the prevalence of and reasons for firearm acquisition and changes in firearm storage practices due to the pandemic. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study used data from the California Safety and Wellbeing Survey, a statewide Internet survey of 2,870 California adults (18 years of age and older) conducted from July 14 to July 27, 2020. Responses were weighted to be representative of the state population of adults. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Survey topics for this study included: changes in worry about violence happening to oneself, by type of violence and location, before and during the pandemic; concern someone else might physically hurt another person or themselves on purpose due to a pandemic-related loss; experiences of unfair treatment related to the pandemic; firearm and ammunition acquisition and changes in firearm storage practices due to the pandemic; and participation in civic and political activities “in response to gun violence” during the pandemic. RESULTS Worry about violence significantly increased during the pandemic for all violence types except mass shootings. More than 1 in 10 respondents were concerned that someone they know might intentionally harm another person (12.2%) or themselves (13.1%). Of those concerned about self-harm for someone else, 7.5% said it was because the person had suffered a pandemic-related loss. An estimated 110,000 individuals acquired a firearm in response to the pandemic (2.4% of current firearm owners), including 47,000 new owners. Approximately 55,000 individuals (1.2% of owners) who currently store at least one firearm loaded and not locked up said they had adopted this unsecure storage practice in response to the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Given the impulsive nature of many types of violence, short-term crisis interventions, such as options for temporary firearm storage outside the home, extreme risk protection orders, and efforts involving community-based violence intervention workers, may be critical for reducing violence-related harm now and following other societal shocks. Key Points QUESTIONS Has the coronavirus pandemic modified (1) individuals’ worry about violence for themselves or others, (2) the prevalence of and reasons for firearm and ammunition acquisition, and (3) firearm storage practices? FINDINGS In this cross-sectional, population-representative survey of 2,870 adults in California, worry about multiple types of violence for oneself increased during the pandemic; pandemic-related loss contributed to concern that someone else might physically harm themselves on purpose; an estimated 110,000 people acquired firearms due to the pandemic (2.4% of firearm owners in the state), including approximately 47,000 new owners; and 6.7% of owners who currently store firearms loaded and not locked up adopted this unsecure storage practice in response to the pandemic. MEANING Violence is a significant public health problem that touches the lives of far more people than is typically recognized. The coronavirus pandemic and efforts to lessen its spread have compounded this burden.