Gun Violence: A Public Health Crisis The Role Physicians can Play in Keeping Communities Safe

Gun violence is a public health crisis in the United States. Research shows that violence functions similarly to a communicable disease. An exposure such as someone witnessing violence or being a victim of violence is a major risk factor to the exposed person becoming a perpetrator of violence themselves. Victims of gun violence are seen in emergency rooms at alarming rates and despite gun related deaths increasing over the past few decades, there is not a significant quantity of research on violence intervention. As physicians are key players in individual and community health, they have an ethical imperative to intervene. Both doctors and patients believe that physicians can play a role in addressing gun safety and risk of firearm injury. Gun violence interventions by physicians can be either preventative, working to avoid an initial firearm related injury, or interventional, working to avert additional firearm related injuries. Outpatient clinical attempts to prevent firearm injury can be modeled after pre-established methods like bicycle helmet safety screening. Inpatient or post injury methods include more comprehensive approaches that focus on breaking the cycle of violence and preventing reinjury. Gun violence is a public health crisis that requires physician action.

Grantor dc:publisher

Temple University. Libraries

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• McGrath, Rhiannon Elizabeth

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Cabey, Vielka Whitney

• Public health
• Gun violence
• Healthcare
• Physician

Statement dc:rights

• IN COPYRIGHT- This Rights Statement can be used for an Item that is in copyright. Using this statement implies that the organization making this Item available has determined that the Item is in copyright and either is the rights-holder, has obtained permission from the rights-holder(s) to make their Work(s) available, or makes the Item available under an exception or limitation to copyright (including Fair Use) that entitles it to make the Item available.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/8049

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarshare.temple.edu:20.500.12613/8049