Firearms, Physicians, Families, and Kids: Finding Words that Work

Haasz, Maya; Boggs, Jennifer M.; Beidas, Rinad S.; Betz, Marian E.

doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.05.029

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…34 35 However, most parents are generally open to these conversations, 36 and physician counselling has been shown to be effective in producing safer storage practices at home, especially when a secure storage device such as a cable gun lock is provided. [37][38][39] The American Academy of Pediatrics and others have recommended counselling about firearm safety and gun violence for over a decade. 40 41 This study has limitations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many barriers, including lack of time, uncertainty of the effect, inadequate training and perceived parental resentment, have been cited for decades 34 35. However, most parents are generally open to these conversations,36 and physician counselling has been shown to be effective in producing safer storage practices at home, especially when a secure storage device such as a cable gun lock is provided 37–39. The American Academy of Pediatrics and others have recommended counselling about firearm safety and gun violence for over a decade 40 41…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Trends in paediatric firearm-related encounters during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group, race/ethnicity and schooling mode in Tennessee

et al. 2023

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BackgroundIncreases in paediatric firearm-related injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic may be due to changes in where children and adolescents spent their time. This study examines changes in the frequency of paediatric firearm-related encounters as a function of schooling mode overall and by race/ethnicity and age group at a large trauma centre through 2021.MethodsWe use data from a large paediatric and adult trauma centre in Tennessee from January 2018 to December 2021 (N=211 encounters) and geographically linked schooling mode data. We use Poisson regressions to estimate smoothed monthly paediatric firearm-related encounters as a function of schooling mode overall and stratified by race and age.ResultsCompared with pre pandemic, we find a 42% increase in paediatric encounters per month during March 2020 to August 2020, when schools were closed, no significant increase during virtual/hybrid instruction, and a 23% increase in encounters after schools returned to in-person instruction. The effects of schooling mode are heterogeneous by patient race/ethnicity and age. Encounters increased among non-Hispanic black children across all periods relative to pre pandemic. Among non-Hispanic white children, encounters increased during the closure period and decreased on return to in-person instruction. Compared with pre pandemic, paediatric firearm-related encounters increased 205% for children aged 5–11 and 69% for adolescents aged 12–15 during the school closure period.ConclusionCOVID-19-related changes to school instruction mode in 2020 and 2021 are associated with changes in the frequency and composition of paediatric firearm-related encounters at a major trauma centre in Tennessee.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in paediatric firearm-related encounters during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group, race/ethnicity and schooling mode in Tennessee

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…34,35 However, most parents are generally open to these conversations, 36 and physician counseling has been shown to be effective in producing safer storage practices at home, especially when a secure storage device such as a cable gun lock is provided. [37][38][39] The American Academy of Pediatrics and others have recommended counseling about firearm safety and gun violence for over a decade. 40,41 This study has limitations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in Pediatric Firearm-Related Encounters during the COVID-19 Pandemic by Age Group, Race/Ethnicity, and Schooling Mode in Tennessee

McKay

Gastineau

Wrenn

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Purpose Increases in pediatric firearm-related injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic may be due to changes in where children and adolescents spent their time. This paper examines changes in the frequency of pediatric firearm-related encounters as a function of schooling mode overall and by race/ethnicity and age group at a large trauma center through 2021. Methods We use data from a large pediatric and adult trauma center in Tennessee from January 2018 to December 2021 (N=211 encounters) and geographically linked schooling mode data. We use Poisson regressions to estimate smoothed monthly pediatric firearm-related encounters as a function of schooling mode overall and stratified by race and age. Results Compared to pre-pandemic, we find a 42% increase in pediatric encounters per month during March 2020 to August 2020, when schools were closed, and a 23% increase in encounters after schools returned to in-person instruction. Effects of schooling mode are heterogeneous by race. Encounters increased among non-Hispanic Black children and adolescents across all periods relative to pre-pandemic. Among non-Hispanic white children and adolescents, encounters increased during the closure period and decreased on return to in-person instruction. Effects of schooling mode are also heterogeneous by age. Relative to pre-pandemic, pediatric firearm-related encounters increased 205% for children aged 5 to 11 and 69% for adolescents aged 12 to 15 during the school closure period. Conclusion COVID-19-related changes to school instruction mode in 2020 and 2021 are associated with changes in the frequency and composition of pediatric firearm-related encounters at a major trauma center in Tennessee.

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“…Health care professionals should assess for firearm exposure for children and adults, including firearm access, direct and symbolic threats, unsafe storage, as well as other ways firearms are used (Sorenson & Schut, 2018). Nurses can provide information about safe gun storage – especially triple safe storage (storing firearms locked and unloaded with ammunition stored separately) (Haasz et al., 2022), and the availability of third‐party firearm storage sites in their region. Nurses can also provide resources to families for teaching children about gun safety.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nurses can also provide resources to families for teaching children about gun safety. In many cases, nurses and healthcare teams often do not address firearm injury prevention when caring for patients, especially within the paediatric population (Haasz et al., 2022). Given that firearms are the leading cause of paediatric mortality, counselling on firearm injury prevention and assessing for firearm risk must become standard of care.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Firearms and post‐separation abuse: Providing context behind the data on firearms and intimate partner violence

Spearman,

Marineau,

Owolabi

et al. 2023

Journal of Advanced Nursing

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AimThe aim of this study is to provide insight from maternal survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) describing their experiences with their ex‐partners' firearm ownership, access, storage and behaviours in the context of co‐parenting and separation.DesignWe conducted a qualitative descriptive study informed by the IPV and Coparenting Model.MethodsThe analytic sample consists of self‐identified maternal survivors (n = 14) who completed semi‐structured qualitative interviews between January and May 2023 describing experiences of post‐separation abuse. Participants were recruited through social media and domestic violence advocacy and legal aid organizations. In the interview guide, participants were asked one item about firearm exposure: Have you or your children had any experiences with guns and your ex‐partner that made you or your children feel scared? Interviews were audio‐recorded and transcribed. Interview transcripts were managed and coded in ATLAS.ti using a codebook. Codes were applied using descriptive content analysis, discrepancies reconciled and themes related to firearm exposure in the context of post‐separation abuse identified.ResultsSix themes emerged related to firearm experiences and post‐separation abuse: (1) gun ownership (2) gun access; (3) unsafe storage; (4) direct and symbolic threats; (5) involving the children; (6) survivors' protective actions.ConclusionThis manuscript provides context on how abusive ex‐partners' firearm ownership, access and threats cause terror and pervasive fear for mothers and children following separation. Analysis of qualitative data provides important insights into opportunities to address firearm injury prevention.ImpactFindings add to the contextual understanding of how survivors of IPV experience non‐fatal firearm abuse. Existing quantitative data may not capture the full extent of fear caused by perpetrators' gun ownership access and symbolic threats. Data from this study can help inform firearm injury prevention efforts.Patient or Public ContributionThe authors would like to acknowledge and thank the individuals who helped in cognitive testing of the interview guide prior to conducting interviews with participants, including (3) survivors of post‐separation abuse. The authors would also like to acknowledge domestic violence advocates and those individuals who helped with recruitment and connected us with participants. Importantly, with deep gratitude, the authors would like to thank the participants who generously shared their time and stories with us.

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Firearms, Physicians, Families, and Kids: Finding Words that Work

Cited by 14 publications

References 42 publications

Trends in paediatric firearm-related encounters during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group, race/ethnicity and schooling mode in Tennessee

Trends in paediatric firearm-related encounters during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group, race/ethnicity and schooling mode in Tennessee

Trends in Pediatric Firearm-Related Encounters during the COVID-19 Pandemic by Age Group, Race/Ethnicity, and Schooling Mode in Tennessee

Firearms and post‐separation abuse: Providing context behind the data on firearms and intimate partner violence

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