Is It Time for Physicians to Focus on the Public Health Threat of Gun Violence?
Authors: James F. Bush
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2013)

Letters4 June 2013Is It Time for Physicians to Focus on the Public Health Threat of Gun Violence?James F. Bush, MDJames F. Bush, MDFrom Office of Health Care Financing, Cheyenne, Wyoming.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-158-11-201306040-00019 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:There are few topics that arouse such immediate and visceral reactions as gun control. Two sides polarize and do not listen to each other. Yet, in their editorial (1), the editors reference the issue of mental health in passing, but I think that's the discussion that we as physicians should be leading.People are most often killed by firearms under accidental, criminal, or mental health–related circumstances. The National Rifle Association tries to promote improved gun safety, safe storage of firearms, and proper training to avoid accidental deaths. According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime data ...References1. Laine C, Taichman DB, Mulrow C, Berkwits M, Cotton D, Williams SV. A resolution for physicians: time to focus on the public health threat of gun violence. Ann Intern Med. 2013;158:493-4. [PMID: 23277894] LinkGoogle Scholar2. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Intentional homicide, count and rate per 100 000 population (1995–2011). Accessed at www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/statistics/crime/Homicide_statistics2012.xls on 25 April 2013. Google Scholar3. Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics: State-by-state and national crime estimates by year(s). U.S. Department of Justice; 2010. Accessed at www.ucrdatatool.gov/Search/Crime/State/StatebyState.cfm on 25 April 2013. Google Scholar4. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States: Murder, by state, types of weapons, 2010. Accessed at www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/tables/10tbl20.xls on 25 April 2013. Google Scholar5. Gun ownership by state. The Washington Post. 26 May 2006. Accessed at www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/health/interactives/guns/ownership.html on 25 April 2013. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Office of Health Care Financing, Cheyenne, Wyoming.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoA Resolution for Physicians: Time to Focus on the Public Health Threat of Gun Violence Christine Laine , Darren B. Taichman , Cynthia Mulrow , Michael Berkwits , Deborah Cotton , and Sankey V. Williams Is It Time for Physicians to Focus on the Public Health Threat of Gun Violence? Jeffrey Johnson Is It Time for Physicians to Focus on the Public Health Threat of Gun Violence? E. Michael Lewiecki Is It Time for Physicians to Focus on the Public Health Threat of Gun Violence? E. Lee Murray Is It Time for Physicians to Focus on the Public Health Threat of Gun Violence? Melvin E. Belding Metrics 4 June 2013Volume 158, Issue 11Page: 850-851KeywordsConflicts of interestCrimeDrugsFire safetyFirearm injuriesHomicidePatientsPrevention, policy, and public healthPsychiatry and mental healthViolent crime ePublished: 4 June 2013 Issue Published: 4 June 2013 CopyrightCopyright © 2013 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...