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DeBlieux PJ, Alexander LF, Nookala N, Nereim C. A Review of Community-Based Gun Violence Prevention Programs and the Physician's Role. Adv Pediatr 2024; 71:41-54. [PMID: 38944488 DOI: 10.1016/j.yapd.2024.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Gun violence (GV) and safety is a contentious topic in the United States, despite increasing morbidity and mortality among children and adolescents. It is important for physicians to take a role in preventing future GV. This article aims to present several methods that physicians can use to prevent GV in their own communities, ranging from implementation of large-scale intervention programs to simple screenings and anticipatory guidance. As the problem of GV persists, it is important for physicians to use their role to identify individuals who are at high-risk and advocate for changes that will benefit their future health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige J DeBlieux
- General Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lara F Alexander
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | | | - Cameron Nereim
- USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA; Department of Pediatrics, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA.
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2
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Beachy S, Liang CT, Fizur P, Fu Q, Johnson NL. Disentangling the coping process in White rural men who carry guns. Psychol Rep 2024:332941241252771. [PMID: 38770861 DOI: 10.1177/00332941241252771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Affluent White rural men have the highest rates of gun ownership in the United States. However, few studies have specifically examined reasons and motivations for gun ownership and gun behaviors in this population. Therefore, this study sought to examine the relationship between stress variables, namely masculine gender role stress, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and income level, and subsequent pro-gun beliefs and amount of time an individual carried a gun within this population. Results indicated that only two measures of pro-gun beliefs (i.e., believing guns keep one safe, believing guns are present in one's social sphere) were correlated with percentage of time an individual carried. Additionally, ACEs were positively correlated with believing guns influence how others perceive oneself, levels of masculine gender role stress, and income. These results suggest that White rural gun owners who have increased ACEs have decreased income and tend to believe that owning guns impacts their social status with peers. However, increased ACEs do not influence belief about guns keeping one safe, believing guns are present in one's social sphere, or gun carriage. Instead, White rural gun owners without childhood adversity may be more susceptible to believing their safety depends on guns and belongingness within their social sphere. Future research should assess reasons why affluent White rural men find it important to maintain their safety in the context of gun ownership.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Beachy
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital System, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Christopher Th Liang
- Department of Education and Human Services, College of Education, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
| | - Philip Fizur
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ, USA
| | - Qiong Fu
- Department of Education and Human Services, College of Education, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
| | - Nicole L Johnson
- Department of Education and Human Services, College of Education, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
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Osborne MC, Reidy DE, Temple JR, DeMello A, Lu Y. Examining the Relation Between Early Violence Exposure and Firearm-Related Experiences in Emerging Adulthood: A Longitudinal Cohort Study. Psychol Rep 2024:332941241254313. [PMID: 38738909 DOI: 10.1177/00332941241254313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Firearms are a leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults in the United States. Early exposure to violence, as a victim or witness, is associated with increased risk of firearm-related experiences, including carrying and threatening others with a gun. These experiences, in turn, increase the risk of both fatal and non-fatal firearm injuries. Using an ethnically diverse sample of emerging adults, we build on prior research by examining the link between early violence exposure at multiple contexts of the social-ecological model and multiple firearm-related experiences (i.e., firearm-threatening victimization, firearm-threatening perpetration, and firearm carriage). We analyzed data from a 10-year longitudinal study of 1042 youth in the Southern United States. Experiencing childhood physical abuse was associated with both firearm-threatening victimization and perpetration in emerging adulthood. Additionally, exposure to neighborhood and interparental violence were linked to threatening others with firearms and carrying firearms, respectively. Counter to expectations, bullying victimization did not emerge as a predictor of any firearm-related experiences. Findings highlight the importance of cross-cutting violence prevention efforts to prevent high-risk firearm-related behaviors among emerging adults. Programs for children and adolescents that address these types of violence exposure should highlight coping skills and sources of positive social support to bolster protective factors against firearm-related outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa C Osborne
- Wellstar School of Nursing, Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
| | - Dennis E Reidy
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA;Center for Research on Interpersonal Violence, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jeff R Temple
- Center for Violence Prevention, UTHealth, Houston, TX, USA; School of Behavioral Health Sciences, UTHealth, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Annalyn DeMello
- School of Nursing, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Yu Lu
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
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Kemal S, Jones-Robinson L, Rak K, Otoo C, Barrera L, Sheehan K. Exploring Firearm Access, Carriage, and Possession among Justice-Involved Youth. J Community Health 2024:10.1007/s10900-024-01356-3. [PMID: 38581624 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-024-01356-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Firearm carriage and possession predicts youth firearm violence victimization and perpetration. This study describes self-reported factors associated with firearm access, carriage, and possession among justice-involved youth. We conducted an exploratory, mixed-methods study. Participants were recruited from May 2022 to February 2023 from the Juvenile Justice Collaborative, a diversion program for justice-involved youth. We used online anonymous surveys to investigate exposures related to firearm access, carriage, and possession. We performed semi-structured interviews using the phenomenology framework. We used descriptive statistics to examine firearm exposures by participant demographics. We performed qualitative analyses using an iterative approach with constant comparison to identify key themes. We completed 28 surveys and 5 interviews. Most survey participants identified as male (57%) and Black (61%) with a median age of 18 years. Interview participants described the socialization and cultural normalization of firearms, most prominently among peers. Survey participants reported whether they had ever carried (25%) or possessed (21%) a firearm. Survey and interview participants endorsed protection in the context of increasing violence exposure over time as the primary motivation for firearm possession. Interview participants describe accessing firearms primarily through social networks while survey participants also reported access from strangers (25%) and licensed sellers/gun dealers (18%). In conclusion, justice-involved youth believe firearm carriage and possession may be needed for protection due to increasing violence exposure. Further investigation is necessary to determine interventions that may decrease firearm access, carriage, and possession among justice-involved youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samaa Kemal
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 East Chicago Avenue, Box 62, Chicago, Illinois, United States.
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States.
| | - Lauren Jones-Robinson
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Kevin Rak
- Patrick M. Magoon Institute for Healthy Communitiese, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Cassandra Otoo
- Patrick M. Magoon Institute for Healthy Communitiese, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Leonardo Barrera
- Mary Ann and J. Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research, and Evaluation Center, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Karen Sheehan
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 East Chicago Avenue, Box 62, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Patrick M. Magoon Institute for Healthy Communitiese, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
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Lee DB, Simmons M, Sokol RL, Crimmins H, LaRose J, Zimmerman MA, Carter PM. Firearm suicide risk beliefs and prevention: The role of fear of community violence and firearm ownership for protection. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 171:340-345. [PMID: 38350311 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Household firearm availability is a risk factor for firearm suicide when a household member at-risk for suicide. Firearm ownership for protection and perceptions of community violence may reduce the likelihood of limiting access to firearms as a way to prevent suicide. The association between a firearm suicide risk belief and the intention to reduce firearm access as a means of preventing suicide, with fear of community violence and firearm ownership for protection as moderators, was examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS The analytic sample consisted of 388 Missouri firearm owners from a cross-sectional, statewide survey of Missouri adults. Logistic regression models were estimated. RESULTS Among Missouri firearm owners, firearm suicide risk belief was positively associated with the intention of reducing firearm access for firearm owners who were not afraid of community violence and owned a firearm for non-protection reasons (e.g., hunting). DISCUSSION Findings suggest that firearm suicide prevention efforts must be tailored to address the underlying beliefs about their violence risk among firearm owners who indicate they principally own for protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B Lee
- University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, USA.
| | | | - Rebeccah L Sokol
- University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, USA; University of Michigan School of Social Work, USA
| | - Haley Crimmins
- University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, USA
| | | | - Marc A Zimmerman
- University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, USA; University of Michigan School of Public Health, USA
| | - Patrick M Carter
- University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, USA; University of Michigan School of Public Health, USA; University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine, USA
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Baiden P, Park Y, LaBrenz CA, Childress S. Exposure to Neighborhood Violence and Gun Carrying Among Adolescents in the United States: Findings From A Population-Based Study. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2024:8862605241231616. [PMID: 38357885 DOI: 10.1177/08862605241231616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Although studies have investigated and found an association between victimization and weapon carrying, few studies have examined the association between exposure to neighborhood violence (NV) and gun carrying among adolescents. The objective of this study was to examine the cross-sectional association between exposure to NV and gun carrying among adolescents. Data for this study came from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. An analytic sample of 17,033 adolescents aged 14 to 18 years old (51.7% male) was analyzed using logistic regression with complementary log-log link function. The outcome variable investigated in this study is gun carrying and was measured as a binary variable, whereas the main explanatory variable examined in this study was exposure to NV, which was also measured as a binary variable. Of the 17,033 adolescents, 4.2% carried a weapon during the past year, and 18.7% were exposed to NV. Controlling for the effects of other factors, adolescents who were exposed to NV had more than double the odds of carrying a gun when compared to their counterparts not exposed to NV (adjusted odds ratio = 2.33, 95% Confidence Intervals [1.69, 3.23]). Other significant factors associated with gun carrying include being a male, non-Hispanic Black, being threatened or injured with a weapon, use of alcohol, cigarette smoking, and misuse of prescription opioids. High parental monitoring was protective against gun carrying. The findings of this study underscore the importance of developing age-appropriate intervention strategies to reduce gun carrying among adolescents. School counselors and other professionals working with adolescents in disadvantaged neighborhoods should actively engage parents in assessments and interventions.
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Ellyson AM, Rowhani-Rahbar A, Mehari KR. Experiences of Violence and Firearm Access and Ownership in the Transition From Childhood to Young Adulthood. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2340564. [PMID: 37851450 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.40564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Ellyson
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Ali Rowhani-Rahbar
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Krista R Mehari
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
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Caves Sivaraman J, Tong G, Easter M, Swanson J, Copeland W. Violent Experiences and Patterns of Firearm Ownership From Childhood to Young Adulthood. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2336907. [PMID: 37851447 PMCID: PMC10585415 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.36907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Young adults in their 20s are at high relative risk for self- and other-directed firearm injury, but little is known about gun access patterns for this group. Objective To describe the longitudinal patterns of firearm access from childhood to young adulthood and to estimate whether violence experienced as a child or as an adult is associated with gun ownership in young adulthood. Design, Setting, and Participants The Great Smoky Mountains Study included participants from 11 contiguous, mostly rural counties in the Southeastern US. The first wave was completed in 1993 and the most recent in 2019. Periodic survey data were gathered in adolescence through participants' late 20s. In 2023, adjusted Poisson regression with incident rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% CIs were used to estimate associations between violence and gun ownership in young adulthood in 3 age cohorts from the original sample. Exposures Violent experiences in childhood (bullying, sexual and physical abuse, violent events, witnessing trauma, physical violence between parents, and school/neighborhood dangerousness) or adulthood (physical and sexual assault). Main Outcomes and Measures Initiating gun ownership was defined as no gun access or ownership in childhood followed by gun ownership at age 25 or 30 years. Maintaining gun ownership was defined as reporting gun access or ownership in at least 1 survey in childhood and ownership at age 25 or 30 years. Results Among 1260 participants (679 [54%] male; ages 9, 11, and 13 years), gun access or ownership was more common in childhood (women: 366 [63%]; men: 517 [76%]) than in adulthood (women: 207 [36%]; men: 370 [54%]). The most common longitudinal pattern was consistent access or ownership from childhood to adulthood (373 [35%]) followed by having access or ownership in childhood only (408 [32%]). Most of the violent exposures evaluated were not significantly associated with the outcomes. Being bullied at school was common and was associated with reduced ownership initiation (IRR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.61-0.94). Witnessing a violent event was significantly associated with increased probability of becoming a gun owner in adulthood (IRR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.03-1.49). Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, gun ownership and access were transitory, even in a geographic area where gun culture is strong. Early adulthood-when the prevalence of gun ownership was relatively low-may represent an opportune time for clinicians and communities to provide education on the risks associated with firearm access, as well as strategies for risk mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josie Caves Sivaraman
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Guangyu Tong
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Michele Easter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Jeffrey Swanson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
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Bryan CJ, Daruwala SE, Tabares JV, Butner JE, Coccaro EF, Gorka SM. Heightened threat perceptions and reduced stability in anxiety and fear among U.S. adults who carry handguns. J Anxiety Disord 2023; 99:102764. [PMID: 37597342 PMCID: PMC10543589 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2023.102764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Firearm carrying is often motivated to provide safety and is correlated with increased anxiety related to elevated perceptions of the world as a dangerous place. No studies have investigated affective states among firearm owners as they occur in their natural environments. This study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to examine cognitive-affective states among firearm owners who carry handguns outside their home (n = 35), firearm owners who do not carry (n = 47), and non-firearm owners (n = 62). Participants completed a self-report questionnaire at baseline followed by EMA surveys of mood state with the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) 6 times per day for 28 consecutive days. Carry handgun owners reported significantly higher threat perceptions, measured with the negative cognitions about the world subscale of the shortened Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI), than no-carry handgun owners (Mdiff=2.0, 95% CI=0.8-2.0, d=0.45, p = .001) and non-owners (Mdiff=1.8, 95% CI=0.6-2.9, d=0.42, p = .003). Groups did not significantly differ in mean momentary mood ratings assessed via EMA but stability in high-arousal negative arousal was significantly reduced among carry handgun owners (F(2, 150)= 3.7, p = .026). Results suggest firearm owners who carry handguns view the world as especially dangerous, are more likely to experience shifts in anxiety and fear, and take longer to recover from periods of elevated anxiety and fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig J Bryan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, 3650 Olentangy River Rd, Suite 330, Columbus, OH 43214, United States.
| | - Samantha E Daruwala
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, 3650 Olentangy River Rd, Suite 330, Columbus, OH 43214, United States
| | - Jeffrey V Tabares
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, 3650 Olentangy River Rd, Suite 330, Columbus, OH 43214, United States
| | - Jonathan E Butner
- Department of Psychology, The University of Utah, 380 1530 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States
| | - Emil F Coccaro
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, 3650 Olentangy River Rd, Suite 330, Columbus, OH 43214, United States
| | - Stephanie M Gorka
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, 3650 Olentangy River Rd, Suite 330, Columbus, OH 43214, United States
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Yang Y. Gun carrying among US adolescents: the mutual impact of violence experiences, safety concerns, and substance use behaviors. Public Health 2023; 223:87-93. [PMID: 37625272 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2023.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Youth firearm carriage significantly contributes to firearm-related injuries and deaths in the United States (US). This study examined the sex-specific patterns and cumulative effects of violence experiences, safety concerns, and substance use behaviors on youth firearm carriage. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional study. METHODS Based on a nationally representative sample (N = 13,526), the multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the interplay of violence experiences (weapon threats, physical fights, and sexual violence), safety concerns, and substance use behaviors (cigarette, electronic vapor, alcohol, marijuana, and prescription opioid), and their direct, indirect, and total effects on youth gun carrying behavior. RESULTS About one in 50 females and one in 15 males reported firearm carriage in the past year. Sex-specific patterns existed. Among female adolescents, gun carrying was strongly correlated with violence experiences (standardized coefficient (β) = 0.77, P < 0.001), but no direct connection was observed with substance use behaviors. Among males, both violence experiences (β = 0.56, P < 0.001) and substance use behaviors (β = 0.26, P < 0.001) were significantly correlated with gun carrying. Although safety concerns did not show a direct effect on gun carrying, a significant indirect effect was observed via the pathway of violence experiences. Collectively, the three clusters of predictors explained about 59.9% of variance in gun carrying among females and 54.6% of variance among males. CONCLUSIONS Violence experiences have a robust impact on gun carrying behavior in both female and male adolescents. Effective violence prevention programs and sex-specific strategies (e.g., substance use intervention for males) are needed to reduce youth firearm carriage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingwei Yang
- Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States.
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11
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Comer BP, Connolly EJ. Exposure to gun violence and handgun carrying from adolescence to adulthood. Soc Sci Med 2023; 328:115984. [PMID: 37245260 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE While empirical interest in understanding the mental health consequences surrounding gun violence has increased, currently there is much unknown about the long reach of childhood exposure to gun violence on handgun carrying across the life course. OBJECTIVE The current study aims to evaluate the relations between witnessing gun violence before age 12 and subsequent handgun-carrying behavior from adolescence to adulthood in a nationally representative sample of U.S. youth. METHODS Data from 15 waves from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997) are analyzed (Ns range from 5695 to 5875 participants). Categorical latent growth curve models are estimated to assess individual differences in handgun-carrying behavior over time and the relationships between childhood exposure to gun violence, initial levels during adolescence, and rates of change from adolescence to adulthood. RESULTS Participants who reported witnessing seeing someone shot or shot at in childhood demonstrated higher odds of carrying a handgun in adolescence. Exposure to gun violence was not associated with changes in the odds of handgun carrying from adolescence to adulthood after controlling for theoretically relevant covariates. CONCLUSIONS Childhood exposure to gun violence appears to be a risk factor for handgun carrying in adolescence. Nonetheless, other behaviors and demographic characteristics account for inter-individual differences in changes in handgun carrying across the life course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin P Comer
- Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, 76109, USA.
| | - Eric J Connolly
- Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, 77304, USA
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Walsh CS, Ross KM, Bishop DL, Sullivan TN. Identifying Protective Factors That Mitigate Relations Between Experiences with Violence and Gun Carriage for Black Young Adults Living in Economically Marginalized Urban Communities. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2023:8862605231162883. [PMID: 37032604 DOI: 10.1177/08862605231162883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Gun violence disproportionately impacts Black young adults living in economically marginalized urban communities and results in increased risk for injury and death. This study identifies protective factors across the ecological model for Black young adults experiencing peer-based physical and relational aggression and victimization that can mitigate the likelihood of gun carriage. The sample included 141 Black young adults living in economically marginalized communities who had experienced violence. Regression and moderation analyses indicated (1) peer-based physical and relational aggression and victimization negatively associated with gun carriage, and (2) personal assets, positive outlook, student status, and neighborhood attachment interacted with peer-based violent experiences and had protective associations with gun carriage. Findings from this study indicate a need for tailored prevention, policy efforts in order to support Black young adults and decrease gun carriage.
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13
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Dalve K, Ellyson AM, Gause EL, Lyons VH, Schleimer JP, Kuklinski MR, Oesterle S, Briney JS, Weybright EH, Rowhani-Rahbar A. School Handgun Carrying Among Youth Growing Up in Rural Communities. J Adolesc Health 2023; 72:636-639. [PMID: 36528518 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To characterize school handgun carrying and violence risk factors among rural youth. METHODS Using a sample of rural youth (n = 1995), we quantified the proportion who carried a handgun to school, carried but not to school, and did not carry across grades 7-12 and endorsed risk factors for violence in individual, peer, school, and community domains. RESULTS Overall, 3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2%-4%) of youth ever carried to school; 15% (95% CI: 14%-16%) carried but not to school; and 82% (95% CI: 80%-84%) never carried. Violence risk factors (e.g., attacking someone) were more commonly endorsed by youth who carried to school (84%; 95% CI: 73%-95%) than those who carried but not to school (51%; 95% CI: 44%-58%) and did not carry (23%; 95% CI: 20%-26%). DISCUSSION Carrying a handgun to school in rural areas is not common; however, it is associated with risk factors for violence. Understanding violence risk factors among youth who carry handguns to school could inform violence prevention programs in rural areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Dalve
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Alice M Ellyson
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Emma L Gause
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Vivian H Lyons
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Julia P Schleimer
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Margaret R Kuklinski
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Sabrina Oesterle
- Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, School of Social Work, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - John S Briney
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | | | - Ali Rowhani-Rahbar
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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O'Connor KE, Sullivan TN, Ross KM. Individual- and Peer-Level Risk and Protective Factors for Gun Carriage Among Adolescents Living in Low-Income Urban Communities. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2023; 38:5564-5590. [PMID: 36218145 DOI: 10.1177/08862605221124252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Carrying a handgun is an established risk factor for firearm violence, with detrimental and too often irreversible consequences for adolescents including injury and mortality. Although researchers identified a number of risk factors for adolescent handgun carriage, little is known regarding the role of strengths or developmental assets in buffering against risk. The goal of this study was to identify both risk and protective factors for handgun carriage among a predominantly African American (88%) community-based sample of adolescents (Mage = 14.3) who resided in urban communities with high rates of poverty and exposure to violence. Consistent with prior work, we found that adolescents with access to a handgun or with friends who had carried a handgun had higher odds of carrying a handgun themselves in the past 3 months. Handgun access, friends' handgun carriage, and beliefs supporting reactive aggression were identified as risk factors for handgun carriage. Although personal and social assets and positive outlook moderated these relations, the direction was contrary to our hypotheses. We believe that these findings are in part due to structural inequities and social norms impacting adolescents in urban communities characterized by concentrated poverty and high rates of violence. Our findings highlight the value of moving beyond a deficit-oriented framework to gain a more nuanced understanding of the dynamics among both positive and negative factors that alter risk for handgun carriage among African American youth living in low-income urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly E O'Connor
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Terri N Sullivan
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Katherine M Ross
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
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Ross KM, Walsh CS, O'Connor KE, Sullivan TN. Ecological promotive and protective factors deterring gun carriage for young adults living in communities with high rates of community violence. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 51:1164-1180. [PMID: 36710523 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.23008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This study identified promotive and protective factors that lessened the likelihood of handgun carriage in a sample of 141 predominantly Black (97%) young adults (ages 18-22) living in high burden communities experiencing elevated rates of violence. Participants completed surveys assessing overall risk and protective factors for violence across ecological contexts (e.g., individual/peer, family, school, and community). A series of regression and moderation analyses were conducted to ascertain direct (promotive) and indirect (protective) relations between factors across the ecological model and likelihood of gun carriage. Results indicated that (1) consistent with previous studies, both witnessing violence and violence victimization were significant risk factors for handgun carriage, (2) ethnic identity was a significant promotive factor related to a lower likelihood of handgun carriage, and (3) lack of family conflict, student status, and community assets were significant protective factors where higher levels of these factors attenuated the relation between exposure to community violence and likelihood of gun carriage. This is one of the first strengths-based studies examining factors that may mitigate the likelihood of gun carriage for young adults in high risk contexts. Our findings suggest that gun violence prevention efforts for high burden communities should support young adults by strengthening factors across the ecological model (e.g., individual, family, school, and community).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Colleen S Walsh
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Kelly E O'Connor
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Terri N Sullivan
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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Kaufman EJ, Richmond TS, Hoskins K. Youth Firearm Injury: A Review for Pediatric Critical Care Clinicians. Crit Care Clin 2023; 39:357-371. [PMID: 36898779 PMCID: PMC9662754 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccc.2022.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Firearms are now the leading cause of death among youth in the United States, with rates of homicide and suicide rising even more steeply during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. These injuries and deaths have wide-ranging consequences for the physical and emotional health of youth and families. While pediatric critical care clinicians must treat the injured survivors, they can also play a role in prevention by understanding the risks and consequences of firearm injuries; taking a trauma-informed approach to the care of injured youth; counseling patients and families on firearm access; and advocating for youth safety policy and programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elinore J Kaufman
- Division of Traumatology, Surgical Critical Care, and Emergency Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, MOB Suite 120, 51 North 39th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Therese S Richmond
- University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Fagin Hall 330, 418 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Katelin Hoskins
- University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Fagin Hall 312, 418 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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17
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Schleimer JP, Gause E, Dalve K, Ellyson A, Rowhani-Rahbar A. Rural-Urban Variation in the Association of Adolescent Violence and Handgun Carrying in the United States, 2002-2019. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e231153. [PMID: 36853603 PMCID: PMC9975933 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.1153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Adolescent handgun carrying is associated with increased risk of firearm-related violence. Most evidence on adolescent handgun carrying is from urban areas, but these findings may not generalize to rural areas. Objective To examine differences in associations of adolescent interpersonal violence with handgun carrying across the rural-urban continuum. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study used nationally representative data from the US National Survey on Drug Use and Health among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years from 2002 to 2019 to estimate time-varying prevalence ratios (PRs) and prevalence differences (PDs) between interpersonal violence and handgun carrying across the rural-urban continuum. Analyses were conducted in April to July 2022. Exposures Any past-year serious fighting, group fighting, and attacking with intent to harm. Main Outcomes and Measures Any past-year handgun carrying. Associations were estimated within county rural-urban strata using the US Department of Agriculture's Rural-Urban Continuum Codes. Results In each year, the sample included a weighted count of almost 25 million adolescents, with 50.9% (95% CI, 50.2%-51.6%) males and 24.7% (95% CI, 23.8%-25.6%) Hispanic adolescents, 13.5% (95% CI, 12.8%-14.2%) non-Hispanic Black adolescents, and 51.8% (95% CI, 50.8%-52.8%) non-Hispanic White adolescents in 2019. More rural counties had less racial and ethnic diversity. For example, 81.1% (95% CI, 75.9%-85.4%) of adolescents were non-Hispanic White in the most rural counties vs 43.1% (95% CI, 41.7%-44.6%) of adolescents were non-Hispanic White in the most urban counties in 2019. Adolescent handgun carrying increased over time, with the largest increases in the most rural counties, where the prevalence of adolescent handgun carrying increased from 5.2% (95% CI, 3.8%-7.0%) in 2003 to 12.4% (95% CI, 8.9%-16.9%) in 2019. PRs for the association of violence and handgun carrying were greater in more urban counties. For example, in the most urban counties in 2019, adolescents involved in a group fight had 3.7 (95% CI, 2.9-4.8) times the prevalence of handgun carrying vs those not involved in a group fight; this PR was 3.1 (95% CI, 1.6-5.6) in the most rural counties. PDs were similar and, in some cases, larger in rural areas. For example, in the most urban counties in 2019, handgun carrying prevalence was 7.5% (95% CI, 5.7%-9.5%) higher among adolescents who were involved in a group fight compared with those who were not; this PD was 21.8% (95% CI, 8.2%-37.8%) in the most rural counties, where handgun carrying was more common. Conclusions and Relevance This cross-sectional study found that associations of interpersonal violence with handgun carrying were stronger in relative terms in urban areas than in rural areas; however, a higher percentage of rural than urban adolescents carried handguns, resulting in a greater absolute prevalence of handgun carrying associated with violence in rural areas than in urban areas. These findings suggest opportunities for preventing handgun carrying-related harms may differ between rural and urban communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia P. Schleimer
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Emma Gause
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Kimberly Dalve
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Alice Ellyson
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle
- Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Ali Rowhani-Rahbar
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle
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18
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Ellyson AM, Gause E, Lyons VH, Schleimer JP, Dalve K, Kuklinski MR, Oesterle S, Weybright EH, Rowhani-Rahbar A. Bullying and physical violence and their association with handgun carrying among youth growing up in rural areas. Prev Med 2023; 167:107416. [PMID: 36596325 PMCID: PMC11000420 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study builds on prior research showing a strong relationship between handgun carrying and delinquent behaviors among urban youth by examining the association between handgun carrying trajectories and various types of violence in a rural sample. METHODS This study uses data from a longitudinal cohort study of 2002 public school students in the United States from 12 rural communities across 7 states from ages 12-26 (2005-2019). We used logistic regressions to assess associations of various bullying and physical violence behaviors with latent trajectories of handgun carrying from adolescence through young adulthood. RESULTS Compared to youth with very low probabilities of carrying a handgun in adolescence and young adulthood, trajectories with high probabilities of handgun carrying during adolescence or young adulthood were associated with greater odds of using bullying (odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 1.9 to 11.2) and higher odds of using physical violence during adolescence (ORs ranging from 1.5 to 15.9) and young adulthood (ORs ranging from 1.9 to 4.7). These trajectories with higher probabilities of handgun carrying were also associated with greater odds of experiencing physical violence like parental physical abuse and intimate partner violence, but not bullying. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION Experiencing and using bullying and physical violence were associated with specific patterns of handgun carrying among youth growing up in rural areas. Handgun carrying could be an important focus of violence prevention programs among those youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Ellyson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., Box 356320, Seattle, WA 98195-6320, United States; Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington, 401 Broadway, 4th Floor, Seattle, WA 98122, United States; Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, M/S CW8-5, PO BOX 5371, Seattle, WA 98145-5005, United States.
| | - Emma Gause
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington, 401 Broadway, 4th Floor, Seattle, WA 98122, United States
| | - Vivian H Lyons
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, 9725 Third Ave NE, Ste 401, Seattle, WA 98115, United States
| | - Julia P Schleimer
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington, 401 Broadway, 4th Floor, Seattle, WA 98122, United States; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Box 351619, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Kimberly Dalve
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington, 401 Broadway, 4th Floor, Seattle, WA 98122, United States; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Box 351619, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Margaret R Kuklinski
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, 9725 Third Ave NE, Ste 401, Seattle, WA 98115, United States
| | - Sabrina Oesterle
- Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, School of Social Work, Arizona State University, 201 N Central Ave, Floor 33, Phoenix, AZ 85004, United States
| | - Elizabeth H Weybright
- Department of Human Development, Washington State University, 512 Johnson Tower, PO Box 644852, Pullman, WA 99164-4852, United States
| | - Ali Rowhani-Rahbar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St., Box 356320, Seattle, WA 98195-6320, United States; Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington, 401 Broadway, 4th Floor, Seattle, WA 98122, United States; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Box 351619, Seattle, WA, United States
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Ganson KT, Testa A, Rodgers RF, Jackson DB, Nagata JM. Muscle-Building Exercise and Weapon Carrying and Physical Fighting Among U.S. Adolescent Boys. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2023; 38:2566-2584. [PMID: 35546543 PMCID: PMC9850380 DOI: 10.1177/08862605221101192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the association between engagement in muscle-building exercise and weapon carrying and physical fighting among adolescent boys. Cross-sectional data from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (U.S.) were analyzed (N = 4120). Muscle-building exercise was assessed based on the number of days reported in the past 7 days, recategorized into four levels of engagement (no engagement [0 days], low engagement [1-2 days], moderate engagement [3-5 days], and high engagement [6-7 days]). Three forms of weapon carrying (general, on school grounds, gun carrying) and two forms of physical fighting (general, on school grounds) were assessed. Five logistic regression analyses with adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to determine the association between engagement in muscle-building exercise and weapon carrying and physical fighting, while adjusting for relevant demographic and control variables. Over 75% of participants reported engaging in muscle-building exercise. One in five (19.8%) participants reported any general weapon carrying in the past 30 days, 3.3% reported any weapon carrying at school in the past 30 days, 6.5% reported any gun carrying in the past 12 months, 28.0% reported any general physical fighting in the past 12 months, and 10.7% reported any physical fighting at school in the past 12 months. Logistic regressions showed that, compared to no engagement, participants who reported high engagement of muscle-building exercise had higher odds of general weapon carrying (AOR 2.18, 95% CI 1.54-3.07), gun carrying (AOR 2.12, 95% CI 1.23-3.64), and general physical fighting (AOR 2.07, 95% CI 1.53-2.79). These are novel findings that add to a growing literature related to engagement in muscularity-oriented behaviors among males. Prevention and intervention efforts are needed to ensure that adolescent boys engage in muscle-building exercise in ways that are not harmful and to reduce weapon carrying and physical fighting.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander Testa
- University of Texas Health Science Center at
Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Rachel F. Rodgers
- Northeastern
University, Boston, MA, USA
- Lapeyronie
Hospital, CHRU Montpellier, France
| | - Dylan B. Jackson
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jason M. Nagata
- University of
California, San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA, USA
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Understanding factors associated with firearm possession: Examining differences between male and female adolescents and emerging adults seeking emergency department care. Prev Med 2022; 165:107286. [PMID: 36202257 PMCID: PMC10368177 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Firearm possession increases the likelihood of hospital visits among adolescents and emerging adults for both males and females. To better inform prevention practices, we examine data among adolescents and emerging adults (A/EAs; ages 16 to 29) presenting to an urban emergency department for any reason to understand the differences in firearm possession between males and females (N = 1312; 29.6% male; 50.5% Black). Regression identified firearm possession correlates, such as male sex (AOR = 2.26), firearm attitudes (AOR = 1.23), peer firearm possession (AOR = 9.84), and community violence exposure (AOR = 1.02). When stratified by sex (e.g., male vs female), regression results yielded differences in correlates for firearm possession: in males, peer firearm possession (AOR = 8.96) were significant, and in females, firearm attitudes (AOR = 1.33) and peer firearm possession (AOR = 11.24) were significant. An interaction between sex and firearm attitudes demonstrated that firearm attitudes were differentially associated with firearm possession between female and male A/EAs (AOR = 1.28). Overall, we found that females are more likely to endorse retaliatory firearm attitudes, and both males and females are highly influenced by their perception of peer firearm possession. These results help inform prevention strategies across multiple settings, especially for hospital-based violence interventions, and suggest that tailored approaches addressing differences between male and female A/EAs are appropriate when addressing firearm violence and injury risk among A/EAs.
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21
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Brunson RK, Wade BA, Hitchens BK. Examining risky firearm behaviors among high-risk gun carriers in New York City. Prev Med 2022; 165:107179. [PMID: 35933002 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Precarious firearm conduct among inexperienced gun possessors has the potential to intensify firearm-related fatalities and injuries. The current study involves face-to-face interviews with 51 high-risk (and prohibited) residents of Brooklyn and the Bronx, NY, each of whom have either been shot or shot at. We analyze study participants' lived experiences regarding urban gun violence (including as victims and perpetrators), firearm handling, sharing, and improper storage. Despite claiming to be knowledgeable about firearm fundamentals, the vast majority of respondents acknowledged never having received professional instruction, but rather "figured it out" by "playing around" with available guns. These informal methods were shaped by respondents' desire to arm themselves despite inadequate access to firearm training. Study participants also described routinely stashing firearms in unsecure, easily accessible locations. Our study findings have important implications for informing community-based harm reduction and safety strategies among persons within high-risk networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rod K Brunson
- Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Maryland, USA.
| | - Brian A Wade
- Crime and Justice Policy Lab, University of Pennsylvania, USA
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22
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Dong B, Wilson DB. State Firearm Legislation and Youth/Young Adult Handgun Carrying in the United States. J Adolesc Health 2022; 71:751-756. [PMID: 36229394 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine the association between state firearm legislation and youth/young adult handgun carrying in the United States and to identify policy priority areas for intervention. METHODS We linked person-level gun carrying data from a nationally representative sample of U.S. youth and young adults with state-level gun policies over a 15-year period. Cross-classified mixed effects logistic regressions estimated the associations between state gun policies and handgun carrying and explored whether the associations varied by person-level demographic characteristics. RESULTS Youth and young adults in states with a greater number of gun policies were less likely to carry a handgun than youth and young adults in states with fewer gun policies. Regulations on gun purchasing, concealed carrying permitting, and domestic violence-related laws were particularly important in reducing youth/young adult gun-carrying behavior. In addition, these associations varied by gender and race/ethnicity. DISCUSSION State firearm legislation may be an effective mechanism to reduce youth and young adult gun carrying and ultimately mitigate gun-related mortality and morbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beidi Dong
- Department of Criminology, Law and Society, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.
| | - David B Wilson
- Department of Criminology, Law and Society, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
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23
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A trauma-informed approach to understanding firearm decision-making among Black adolescents: Implications for prevention. Prev Med 2022; 165:107305. [PMID: 36252829 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Firearm violence remains a public health crisis in marginalized, urban communities, with Black adolescents bearing the burden of firearm homicides and injuries. As such, the prevention of firearm violence among adolescents has moved to a high priority of the U.S. public health agenda. The current paper reviews recent literature to highlight the heterogeneity in firearm behavior among Black adolescents and underscore the need for additional research on decision-making and firearm behavior to better understand how adolescents make decisions to acquire, carry, and use firearms. Through a discussion of the disproportionate levels of trauma exposure and trauma symptoms experienced by Black adolescents, the current paper also proposes a trauma-informed approach to understanding decision-making for risky firearm behavior. We discuss the broader impacts of this approach, including the development of a more comprehensive and contextually relevant understanding of the variability in risky firearm behavior and improvements in risk screening capabilities and preventive intervention strategies.
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Simon TR, Clayton HB, Dahlberg LL, David-Ferdon C, Kilmer G, Barbero C. Gun Carrying Among Youths, by Demographic Characteristics, Associated Violence Experiences, and Risk Behaviors — United States, 2017–2019. MMWR. MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT 2022; 71:953-957. [PMID: 35900931 PMCID: PMC9345176 DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7130a1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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25
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Schober DJ. Examining the protective effects of social capital and social support on the perpetration of violence among a national sample of adolescents. Inj Prev 2022; 28:533-538. [PMID: 35512898 DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2022-044548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Millions of children witness violence and are victims of violence each year. Previous research suggests that this is a risk factor for perpetrating violence. There is a paucity of studies that examine factors that protect violence-exposed youth from perpetrating violence. METHODS This study used a panel design to measure the effects of exposure to violence on the perpetration of violence. It examined the protective effects of social support and school social capital on the risk of exposure to violence, using multivariate logistic regression modelling. The sample was weighted to reflect a national population. RESULTS The median age of the sample was 15. When considering risk factors only, those who 'saw someone shoot or stab another person' were at 4.77 times (95% CI 3.19 to 7.13) greater risk for perpetrating interpersonal violence. In the full model (risk and protective factors, (N=8375)), those with lower school social capital were at 2.43 (95% CI 1.15 to 5.15) to 2.91 (95% CI 1.02 to 8.29) times greater risk of perpetrating violence compared with those with the highest school social capital; adding the protective factors into the model reduced the odds of perpetrating violence from 4.77 times to 3.47 times (95% CI 1.97 to 6.11) (p<0.001). CONCLUSION On a national level, the protective effects of school social capital could translate to a substantial reduction of violence. School-wide policies and programmes that reach all adolescents in a school and promote social capital should be pursued as a strategy to prevent the perpetration of interpersonal violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Schober
- Master of Public Health Program, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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26
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study explores the changing prevalence of adolescent handgun carriage, with attention to differences across sociodemographic groups. METHODS Data were drawn from repeated cross-sectional, nationally representative surveys conducted annually from 2002 to 2019, the National Survey on Drug Use & Health. The study sample included adolescents aged 12 to 17 (N = 297 055). Logistic regression models estimated the prevalence of past year handgun carriage across cohort and sociodemographic subgroups. Interactions between 4-time cohorts and other variables explored sociodemographic variability in prevalence rates over time. RESULTS Handgun carriage increased significantly, particularly among rural, White, and higher-income adolescents. Carriage increased by 41% over cohorts, with predicted prevalence rates increasing from 3.3% in 2002-2006 to 4.6% in 2015-2019. Across cohorts, rural (5.1%), American Indian/Alaskan Native (5.2%), lower-income (<$20 000; 3.9%), male (5.9%), and older (16-17 years old; 4.5%) adolescents were the most likely to report carriage. However, these patterns changed significantly over time, with White and higher-income adolescents (>$75 000) most likely to carry in the most recent cohorts. Predicted carriage rates increased from 3.1% to 5.3% among White adolescents, from 2.6% to 5.1% among higher-income adolescents, and from 4.3% to 6.9% among rural adolescents between the 2002-2006 and 2015-2019 cohorts. Carriage among Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and lower-income adolescents decreased. CONCLUSIONS Adolescent handgun carriage is increasing, concentrated among particular subgroups of youth, and carriage patterns across sociodemographic groups have changed over time. Programs to address the risk of adolescent gun carriage should be tailored to the specific sociocultural and place-based concerns of diverse adolescents.
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Lee DB, Schmidt CJ, Heinze JE, Carter PM, Cunningham RM, Walton MA, Zimmerman MA. Retaliatory attitudes as mediator of exposure to violence and firearm aggression among youth: The protective role of organized activity involvement. Dev Psychol 2022; 58:990-1002. [PMID: 35377700 PMCID: PMC9716642 DOI: 10.1037/dev0001339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Firearm injury is a significant public health concern among youth living in the United States. Youth with exposure to violence (ETV) are more susceptible to carrying and using a firearm. Few researchers, however, have examined psychological mechanisms undergirding the association between ETV and firearm aggression. Retaliatory attitudes have been discussed as a potential mediator linking ETV with firearm aggression. Moreover, organized activity participation may disrupt direct and indirect pathways connecting ETV to firearm aggression. We tested: (a) the mediating role of retaliatory attitudes in the ETV-firearm aggression link, and (b) the moderating role of organized activity participation among 570 youth with past year illicit drug use and seeking emerging department care in an urban emergency department (ages 14-24; 58.8% males). Using multigroup path analysis, ETV indirectly influenced firearm aggression through retaliatory attitudes for youth not involved organized activities. Organized activities also buffered the association between retaliatory attitudes (mediator) and firearm aggression (outcome). Organized activities may, therefore, prevent firearm aggression by reducing retaliatory attitudes among youth contending with ETV. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Ellyson AM, Gause EL, Oesterle S, Kuklinski MR, Briney JS, Weybright EH, Haggerty KP, Lyons VH, Schleimer JP, Rowhani-Rahbar A. Trajectories of Handgun Carrying in Rural Communities From Early Adolescence to Young Adulthood. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e225127. [PMID: 35377427 PMCID: PMC8980900 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.5127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Characterizing patterns of handgun carrying among adolescents and young adults can inform programs to reduce firearm-related harm. Longitudinal patterns of handgun carrying among rural adolescents have not been identified. OBJECTIVES To assess specific points of intervention by characterizing patterns of handgun carrying by youths in rural communities from early adolescence to young adulthood and to quantify how age at initiation, duration, and frequency of carrying differ across identified patterns. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cohort study uses the control group of the community-randomized trial of the Communities That Care prevention system, conducted among public school students in 12 rural communities across 7 states. Participants self-reported their handgun carrying at 10 data collection points from 12 to 26 years of age (2005-2019). Data were analyzed from January to July 2021. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Handgun carrying in the past 12 months. Latent class growth analysis was used to estimate handgun carrying trajectories. RESULTS In this longitudinal rural sample of 2002 students, 1040 (51.9%) were male; 532 (26.6%) were Hispanic, Latino, Latina, or Latinx; 1310 (65.4%) were White; and the highest level of educational attainment of either parent was a high school degree or less for 649 students (32.4%). The prevalence of handgun carrying in the last 12 months ranged from 5.3% (95 of 1795) to 7.4% (146 of 1969) in adolescence and increased during the mid-20s (range, 8.9% [154 of 1722] to 10.9% [185 of 1704] from 23 to 26 years of age). Among the participants who reported handgun carrying at least once between 12 and 26 years of age (n = 601 [30.0%]), 320 (53.2%) reported carrying a handgun in only 1 wave. Latent class growth analysis indicated 6 longitudinal trajectories: never or low probability of carrying (1590 [79.4%]), emerging adulthood carrying (166 [8.3%]), steadily increasing carrying (163 [8.1%]), adolescent carrying (53 [2.6%]), declining carrying (24 [1.2%]), and high probability and persistent carrying (6 [0.3%]). The earliest mean (SD) age at initiation of handgun carrying occurred in both the adolescent and declining carrying groups at the ages of 12.6 (0.9) and 12.5 (0.7) years, respectively. More than 20% of some groups (emerging adulthood [age 26 years: 49 of 154 (31.8%)], steadily increasing [age 26 years: 37 of 131 (28.2%)], declining [age 13 years: 7 of 23 (30.4%)], and high probability and persistent carrying [age 15 years: 3 of 6 (50.0%)]) reported carrying 40 times or more in the past year by the age of 26 years. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study found distinct patterns of handgun carrying from adolescence to young adulthood in rural settings. Findings suggest that promoting handgun safety in rural areas should start early. Potential high-risk trajectories, including carrying at high frequencies, should be the focus of future work to explore the antecedents and consequences of handgun carrying in rural areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M. Ellyson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle
- Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Emma L. Gause
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Sabrina Oesterle
- Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, School of Social Work, Arizona State University, Phoenix
| | - Margaret R. Kuklinski
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - John S. Briney
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle
| | | | - Kevin P. Haggerty
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Vivian H. Lyons
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Julia P. Schleimer
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Ali Rowhani-Rahbar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle
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Sokol RL, Kumodzi T, Cunningham RM, Resnicow K, Steiger M, Walton M, Zimmerman MA, Carter PM. The association between perceived community violence, police bias, race, and firearm carriage among urban adolescents and young adults. Prev Med 2022; 154:106897. [PMID: 34863814 PMCID: PMC8724395 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Firearms are a leading cause of death among youth and young adults. Given community violence is an important correlate of youth firearm carriage, we evaluated: 1) If the association between perceived community violence and firearm carriage is stronger when perceived police bias is greater; and 2) If this moderated association differs by race. Cross-sectional data came from screening data for a longitudinal study of firearm behaviors among young adults seeking urban emergency department treatment between July 2017-June 2018 (N = 1264). We estimated Poisson regressions with robust error variance to evaluate associations between perceived community violence, police bias, race, and firearm carriage. Community violence was positively associated with firearm carriage (average marginal effect [AME]: 0.05; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.03, 0.07). We also found that the positive association between community violence and firearm carriage increased with higher perceptions of police bias (interaction p < 0.05). We did not find evidence of a three-way interaction by which the moderated association between violence exposure and firearm carriage by perceived police bias varied by race of the respondents. Our findings suggest that community-level strategies to reduce violence and police bias may be beneficial to decrease youth firearm carriage in socio-economically disadvantaged urban settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeccah L Sokol
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, United States of America.
| | - Trina Kumodzi
- University of Maryland School of Nursing, 655 W. Lombard St., Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
| | - Rebecca M Cunningham
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC 10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Institute for Firearm Injury, University of Michigan, 503 Thompson St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America
| | - Kenneth Resnicow
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America
| | - Madeleine Steiger
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America
| | - Maureen Walton
- University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC 10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; University of Michigan Addiction Center, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America
| | - Marc A Zimmerman
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Institute for Firearm Injury, University of Michigan, 503 Thompson St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America
| | - Patrick M Carter
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC 10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Institute for Firearm Injury, University of Michigan, 503 Thompson St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America
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Logan TK, Cole J, Schroeder M. Examining Recovery Status and Supports before and after Substance Abuse Disorder Treatment Among Clients Who Experienced Lifetime and Recent Firearm-Related Threats. JOURNAL OF DRUG ISSUES 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/00220426211056601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Firearm-related risks have often been overlooked in the sequela of substance use and substance use disorders. This study compares adult substance abuse disorder treatment (SADT) clients who experienced recent ( n = 274) and lifetime ( n = 889) firearm threats to adults who were not threatened with a firearm ( n = 2029) before and 12 months after program entry. More men experienced firearm threats (38.8%) than women (34.2%). However, among those with any firearm threats, more women (27.2%) experienced firearm threats in the year before program entry than men (20.2%). Being threatened with a firearm was associated with increased economic vulnerability, criminal justice system involvement, mental health problems, and victimization both before and after SADT program entry. A higher number of adverse childhood experiences were associated with firearm threats and particularly recent firearm threats. Results of this study underscore the importance of screening for firearm-related risks in substance abuse disorder treatment programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- TK Logan
- University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | | | - Maggie Schroeder
- Kentucky Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, Frankfort, KY, USA
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Beardslee J, Kan E, Simmons C, Pardini D, Peniche M, Frick PJ, Steinberg L, Cauffman E. A Within-Individual Examination of the Predictors of Gun Carrying During Adolescence and Young Adulthood Among Young Men. J Youth Adolesc 2021; 50:1952-1969. [PMID: 34272654 PMCID: PMC8417009 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-021-01464-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Although prior studies have identified several risk factors for gun carrying, no prior longitudinal studies have examined a comprehensive set of explanatory factors together in within-individual change models or examined whether the predictors of gun carrying change across adolescence and early young adulthood. The present study fills these gaps by examining the predictive utility of several risk factors for gun carrying, and by examining whether any of the associations vary by age. The sample included 1216 young men who were arrested for the first time during adolescence (approximately 15 years old) and interviewed regularly for 5 years (until approximately 20 years old) after the first arrest. The outcome was youth-self-reported gun carrying and the risk factors included several variables consistent with various explanations for gun carrying (psychosocial maturity deficits; antisocial behavioral style; socialization; victimization). Research questions were addressed with fixed effects dynamic panel models (within-individual change models). Results showed that the most robust predictors of gun carrying were increased exposure to guns and gun-related violence and increased engagement in other antisocial and illegal behavior. The results emphasize the specific etiology of gun carrying and the potential social contagion effect of gun-related events. Overall, the study points to the need for prevention and intervention programs to specifically target the reduction of the real and perceived prevalence of gun-related events in young men's lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Beardslee
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-7085, USA.
| | - Emily Kan
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-7085, USA
| | | | - Dustin Pardini
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
| | - Monica Peniche
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-7085, USA
| | - Paul J Frick
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA
- Institute for Learning Sciences & Teacher Education, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Laurence Steinberg
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
- King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Elizabeth Cauffman
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-7085, USA
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Dong B. Developmental Comorbidity of Substance Use and Handgun Carrying Among U.S. Youth. Am J Prev Med 2021; 61:209-216. [PMID: 33958238 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2021.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study identifies the longitudinal trajectories of multiple forms of substance use and handgun carrying and examines their comorbidity over time. METHODS In a cohort study of 6,748 youth from a U.S. nationally representative sample (51% male, 49% female; 69% White, 16% Black, 14% Hispanic, and 1% other race/ethnicity; born between 1980 and 1984), individuals self-reported their substance-use status (i.e., smoking, drinking, marijuana use, and hard drug use), handgun carrying, and other covariates between 1997 and 2013. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify distinct patterns of substance use and handgun carrying over time. Chi-square tests were used to determine the bivariate associations between substance-use and handgun-carrying trajectories, and a multinomial logistic regression examined the associations while adjusting for covariates. Analyses were conducted in 2020. RESULTS Trajectories of all the 4 forms of substance use were associated with handgun-carrying trajectories. Specifically, the risk of being in the declining trajectory of handgun carrying (compared with that of being in the very-low trajectory) was higher for participants who were in the decreasing trajectories of smoking, drinking, marijuana use, and hard drug use and lower for those who were in the increasing trajectory of drinking. Inversely, the risks of being in the low and high-increasing trajectories of handgun carrying (compared with that of being in the very-low trajectory) were higher for participants who were in the increasing trajectory of hard drug use. CONCLUSIONS Both substance use and gun carrying are developmentally heterogeneous phenomena. Varied forms of substance use should be targeted to counter the distinct gun carrying patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beidi Dong
- Department of Criminology, Law and Society, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.
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Pardini DA, Mulvey E. Special Section Introduction: Revitalizing Developmental Research on Adolescent Gun Involvement. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 50:301-310. [PMID: 34086511 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2021.1913742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Although firearm violence is universally recognized as a paramount public health problem in the United States, for nearly two decades a Congressional budget amendment prevented federal agencies from funding research aimed at understanding the antecedents and consequences of gun violence. These restrictions have been lifted in recent years; however, the field is struggling to overcome a considerable lapse in developmentally-informed longitudinal research on adolescent gun involvement. Some key areas in need of further investigation include: (a) examining developmental and gender differences in risk factors for adolescent gun carrying, (b) clarifying the mechanisms through which socio-economic disadvantage confers risk for engaging in adolescent gun violence, (c) identifying proximal risk and protective factors that are associated with engagement in adolescent gun violence among high risk youth, and (d) delineating the unique effect the exposure to gun violence has on adolescents' emotional and behavioral problems. This special section was organized in an attempt to revitalize research on these issues using a diverse array of longitudinal data sets consisting of both epidemiological and juvenile justice samples. Collectively, the findings from these studies are based upon repeated assessments conducted from childhood through early adulthood, making this set of papers uniquely positioned to advance our understanding of adolescent gun involvement from a developmental perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin A Pardini
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University
| | - Edward Mulvey
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
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Bottiani JH, Camacho DA, Lindstrom Johnson S, Bradshaw CP. Annual Research Review: Youth firearm violence disparities in the United States and implications for prevention. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2021; 62:563-579. [PMID: 33797082 PMCID: PMC9993333 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Research has identified the United States (U.S.) as a global outlier in its firearm ownership rates, with a correspondingly higher risk of youth firearm violence compared to other countries. The relative extent of disparities in youth firearm violence within the U.S. has been less clear. Little is known about factors in the social ecology driving these disparities and whether current firearm violence prevention approaches sufficiently address them. METHOD Applying a health disparities framework, we synthesized epidemiological, sociological, and prevention science literatures, emphasizing structural inequalities in youth sociocultural positionality in life course developmental context. We also highlighted findings from national injury data and other studies regarding the magnitude and impacts of youth firearm violence disparities. RESULTS The burden of firearm violence varied markedly at intersections of gender, race, place, developmental stage, and homicidal or suicidal intent. Firearm homicide among Black boys and young men (ages 15-24) was at outlier levels - many times greater than the rates of any other demographic group, developmental stage, or violence intent, particularly in urban settings. Recent research has operationalized structural racism and implicated historically racialized spaces as a root cause of this disparity. In contrast, elevated firearm suicide rates were found among Native and White boys and young men in rural settings; firearm-related cultural attitudes and gender socialization were points of consideration to explain these disparities. We highlighted research-based youth firearm violence preventive interventions, and emphasized gaps in efforts focused on structural and sociocultural factors. CONCLUSIONS More explicit attention to reducing firearm homicide among Black boys and young men and firearm suicide among Native and rural White boys and young men is urgently needed and has potential to substantially lower overall rates of firearm violence in the U.S.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessika H Bottiani
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Daniel A Camacho
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | | - Catherine P Bradshaw
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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Carter PM, Zimmerman MA, Cunningham RM. Addressing Key Gaps in Existing Longitudinal Research and Establishing a Pathway Forward for Firearm Violence Prevention Research. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL FOR THE SOCIETY OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY, AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, DIVISION 53 2021; 50:367-384. [PMID: 34086512 PMCID: PMC8186821 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2021.1913741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The main purpose of this article and this special section is to encourage greater attention to the key gaps that exist in our understanding of the epidemiology of adolescent firearm violence and to provide a pathway forward for future longitudinal research that will inform prevention efforts. This increased attention is especially salient given: (a) firearms are the leading cause of death for adolescents and emerging adults in the United States, with the majority of these deaths due to interpersonal violence; (b) significant health and social disparities with regards to the populations that are most affected by interpersonal firearm violence have been documented; and, (c) limitations in federal research funding during the past 30 years have created a deficit of knowledge about key risk and protective factors necessary to inform evidence-based prevention efforts. We discuss the implications of the articles in this special edition for existing and novel prevention programs. We also identify key considerations for future epidemiological research, including the need for a greater focus on collecting longitudinal data among nationally representative samples enriched with subgroups of at-risk youth, the need to examine the role of protective factors and mediating variables within existing and novel theoretical models of firearm risk behaviors, the need to examine key factors across all levels of the socio-ecological model, and the need to incorporate novel and innovative research designs, methods and analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Carter
- Firearm Safety among Children and Teens Consortium, University of Michigan School of Medicine
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine
- Department of Health Behavior/Health Education, University of Michigan School Public Health
- Youth Violence Prevention Center, University of Michigan School of Public Health
- University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine
| | - Marc A Zimmerman
- Firearm Safety among Children and Teens Consortium, University of Michigan School of Medicine
- Department of Health Behavior/Health Education, University of Michigan School Public Health
- Youth Violence Prevention Center, University of Michigan School of Public Health
- University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine
| | - Rebecca M Cunningham
- Firearm Safety among Children and Teens Consortium, University of Michigan School of Medicine
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine
- Department of Health Behavior/Health Education, University of Michigan School Public Health
- Youth Violence Prevention Center, University of Michigan School of Public Health
- University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine
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David-Ferdon C, Clayton HB, Dahlberg LL, Simon TR, Holland KM, Brener N, Matjasko JL, D’Inverno AS, Robin L, Gervin D. Vital Signs: Prevalence of Multiple Forms of Violence and Increased Health Risk Behaviors and Conditions Among Youths - United States, 2019. MMWR. MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT 2021; 70:167-173. [PMID: 33539331 PMCID: PMC7861486 DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7005a4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Experiencing violence, especially multiple types of violence, can have a negative impact on youths' development. These experiences increase the risk for future violence and other health problems associated with the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among adolescents and adults. METHODS Data from the 2019 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey were used to determine the prevalence of high school students' self-reported experiences with physical fighting, being threatened with a weapon, physical dating violence, sexual violence, and bullying. Logistic regression models adjusting for sex, grade, and race/ethnicity were used to test the strength of associations between experiencing multiple forms of violence and 16 self-reported health risk behaviors and conditions. RESULTS Approximately one half of students (44.3%) experienced at least one type of violence; more than one in seven (15.6%) experienced two or more types during the preceding 12 months. Experiencing multiple types of violence was significantly more prevalent among females than among males and among students identifying as gay, lesbian, or bisexual or not sure of their sexual identity than among heterosexual students. Experiencing violence was significantly associated with higher prevalence of all examined health risks and conditions. Relative to youths with no violence experiences, adjusted health risk and condition prevalence estimates were up to seven times higher among those experiencing two types of violence and up to 21 times higher among those experiencing three or more types of violence. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE Many youths experience multiple types of violence, with potentially lifelong health impacts. Violence is preventable using proven approaches that address individual, family, and environmental risks. Prioritizing violence prevention is strategic to promoting adolescent and adult health.
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Kelsay JD, Silver IA, Barnes JC. The Association Between Adolescent Gun Ownership and Gun Carrying and Adulthood Violence and Victimization. VIOLENCE AND VICTIMS 2021; 36:157-192. [PMID: 33443229 DOI: 10.1891/vv-d-19-00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Although many studies have highlighted the deleterious outcomes associated with access to firearms, others suggest gun ownership and carrying can have protective effects. This study attempts to adjudicate between these countervailing points and address several important gaps in the literature. To do so, data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health were used to assess the long-term associations between gun ownership and gun carrying in late adolescence and violence and violent victimization in early adulthood. Results from propensity score matching analyses suggest gun carrying, but not gun ownership, is associated with a higher risk of experiencing a violent victimization (b = 0.080, 95% CI = .032, .127) and engaging in violence with a weapon (b = 0.885, 95% CI = .392, 1.378). Efforts to curb firearm-related violence should consider focusing on those who carry guns for additional counseling about these risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Kelsay
- Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas
| | - Ian A Silver
- Law and Justice Department, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey Corrections Institute, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - J C Barnes
- School of Criminal Justice, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Gunn JF, Boxer P. Gun Laws and Youth Gun Carrying: Results from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, 2005-2017. J Youth Adolesc 2021; 50:446-458. [PMID: 33420890 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-020-01384-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Youth who carry guns are at increased risk of violence and premature death-but what impact firearm legislation plays in deterring this behavior is less known. The present study aims to fill this gap by exploring the associations between state gun laws and youth gun carrying behavior using the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). This work builds on previous research but expands it by considering a greater number of years than previous work and using an academic, as opposed to an advocacy-based, gun law coding system. Two models were assessed using generalized estimating equations (GEE): (1) youth gun carrying, (2) youth weapon carrying at school (e.g., guns, knives, clubs). The sample for Model 1 included data for 20 of the 50 U.S. states with 1 state from the northeast, 4 from the midwest, 10 from the south, and 5 from the west. The sample for Model 2 included 33 of the 50 U.S. states with 3 states from the northeast, 9 from the midwest, 12 from the south, and 9 from the west. Data for each state across the 2005-2017 YRBSS biennial surveys were included in the analysis. For youth gun carrying and overall weapon carrying, the total gun regulation index was a significant predictor with lower gun regulation index scores associated with greater youth gun and weapon carrying behavior. The present study points to the potential of gun laws in reducing youth gun carrying behavior. States with more gun laws had fewer youth reporting gun-carrying behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F Gunn
- Rutgers University, School of Public Health, Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Center on Gun Violence Research, 683 Hoes Lane West Piscataway, Newark, NJ, 08854, USA.
| | - Paul Boxer
- Rutger University - Newark, Department of Psychology, Newark, NJ, USA
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Pardini D, Beardslee J, Docherty M, Schubert C, Mulvey E. Risk and Protective Factors for Gun Violence in Male Juvenile Offenders. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 50:337-352. [PMID: 33124922 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2020.1823848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine several risk and protective factors as predictors of future gun violence among male juvenile offenders. METHOD Data came from a longitudinal cohort of 1,170 male juvenile offenders (42.1% Black; 34.0% Latino; 19.2% White) ages 14-19 who were adjudicated for a serious offense. Interviews were conducted with participants every 6 months for 3 years and then annually for 4 years. The outcome was self-reported gun violence assessed at each follow-up. The time-lagged predictors included several self-reported risk factors (i.e., gun carrying, non-gun violence, drug dealing, heavy drinking, poor impulse control, rewards for crime, peer gun carrying, peer non-gun delinquency, gang membership) and protective factors (i.e., concern for others, expectations, and aspirations for work/family, religious beliefs, adult social supports). The data were analyzed using generalized estimating equation models. RESULTS There were 266 participants who reported engaging in gun violence at one or more assessments. Gun carrying was a significant predictor of future gun violence; however, nearly half (49%) of the juveniles who reported gun carrying across the repeated assessments did not report engaging in gun violence. Besides gun carrying, several risk (i.e., drug dealing, heavy drinking, rewards for crime, gang membership, peer gun carrying) and protective (i.e., concern for others, aspirations for work/family, religious beliefs, adult social supports) factors significantly predicted gun violence, after controlling for their co-occurrence (Risk factor odds ratios = 1.18-1.50; Protective factor odds ratios =.44-.87; ps<.05). CONCLUSIONS Interventions designed to prevent gun violence among juvenile offenders should reduce targeted risk factors, while strengthening protective factors that may offset these risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin Pardini
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University
| | | | | | - Carol Schubert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
| | - Edward Mulvey
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
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Magee LA, Dir AL, Clifton RL, Wiehe SE, Aalsma MC. Patterns of adolescent gun carrying and gun-related crime arrests in Indianapolis, Indiana over an 11-year time period. Prev Med 2020; 139:106199. [PMID: 32653355 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Adolescent males are disproportionately affected by homicide as both victims and offenders. Indianapolis has seen increases in youth homicides over the past few years; gun carrying increases an individual's risk for involvement in firearm violence. It is unclear how often youth are arrested for gun carrying and gun-related crimes. Examining these patterns may identify an opportunity for intervention. This study is a descriptive epidemiology analysis that examines patterns of gun carrying and gun-related crime arrests among justice involved youth in Marion County (Indianapolis), Indiana. We accessed juvenile court records from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2016 on all individuals arrested for a gun carrying offense (i.e., illegal possession of a firearm or gun; n = 711) and all individuals arrested for a gun-related crime (i.e., homicide, robbery, aggravated assault; n = 150). Data were analyzed in fall 2019. Proportions of juvenile arrests for both gun carrying (47.0 per 1000 arrests) and gun-related crime (25.4 per 1000 arrests) have substantially increased compared to ten-years ago (4.5 per 1000 arrests and 2.0 per 1000 arrests, respectively). Of those arrested, 27.7 per 100,000 population were arrested for a repeated gun-related offense; of which 21.5 per 100,000 were first arrested for gun carrying and 6.2 per 100,000 were arrested for a gun-related crime. The majority of gun-related repeat offenders were first arrested for gun carrying; therefore, these gun-carrying arrests may be an opportunity to intervene on an individual level by providing treatment, other needed resources, and discussing safe firearm storage with families and communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Magee
- Children's Health Services Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States of America.
| | - Allyson L Dir
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States of America; Adolescent Behavioral Health Research Program, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States of America
| | - Richelle L Clifton
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, United States of America
| | - Sarah E Wiehe
- Children's Health Services Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States of America
| | - Matthew C Aalsma
- Adolescent Behavioral Health Research Program, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States of America
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Sokol RL, Carter PM, Goldstick J, Miller AL, Walton MA, Zimmerman MA, Cunningham RM. Within-Person Variability in Firearm Carriage Among High-Risk Youth. Am J Prev Med 2020; 59:386-393. [PMID: 32430221 PMCID: PMC7483893 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Youth who carry firearms-and peers that surround them-are at increased risk for violent injuries. Because firearm carriage behaviors can change over time within an individual, it is important to identify individual and social-contextual determinants that explain this within-person variability in carriage. METHODS The authors identified individual and social-contextual determinants of firearm carriage in the past 6 months using multilevel logistic models on 5 waves of panel data from the Flint Youth Injury Study (n=597; ages 14-24 years), collected in 2009-2011 and analyzed in 2019. RESULTS Regarding within-person effects, when an individual had more positive peer affiliations than their average, their odds of carrying a firearm decreased (OR=0.88; 95% CI=0.81, 0.96). Conversely, an individual's odds of carrying a firearm increased when they had more negative peer affiliations (OR=1.08, 95% CI=1.02, 1.14), experienced more victimization (OR=1.03, 95% CI=1.01, 1.05), perceived greater community violence (OR=1.12, 95% CI=1.05, 1.21), or exhibited greater retaliatory attitudes (OR=1.10, 95% CI=1.01, 1.19) than their average. CONCLUSIONS Peer affiliations, victimization, community violence perceptions, and retaliatory attitudes explain within-person variability in firearm carriage. Strategies for reducing carriage among youth should consider individual- and environmental-level interventions to address these individual and social-contextual determinants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeccah L Sokol
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
| | - Patrick M Carter
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Jason Goldstick
- University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Alison L Miller
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Maureen A Walton
- University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Addiction Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Marc A Zimmerman
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Rebecca M Cunningham
- University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Addiction Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Emergency Medicine, Hurley Medical Center, Flint, Michigan
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Haviland MJ, Rowhani-Rahbar A, Rivara FP. Age, period and cohort effects in firearm homicide and suicide in the USA, 1983–2017. Inj Prev 2020; 27:344-348. [DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2020-043714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BackgroundRates of firearm homicide and suicide have varied over time. These variations are due to a number of factors including temporal trends, age, birth year and gender. We sought to conduct an age–period–cohort analysis to understand the intersection of these factors with firearm homicide and suicide.MethodsWe used data on firearm homicide and suicide for the years 1983–2017 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System for this analysis. We restricted our analysis on firearm homicide to persons aged 10–44 years and our analysis on firearm suicide to persons aged 50–84 years, as these age groups are most at risk of each outcome. We calculated annual incidence rates for both outcomes per 100 000 population, overall and by gender.ResultsAcross all age groups, rates of firearm homicide increased dramatically in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The peak age for firearm homicide varied across cohorts, although it was generally between ages 15 and 29 years. Rates of firearm homicide were substantially higher among men than women, regardless of age, period or cohort. Firearm suicide rates varied significantly by gender. Among men, older cohorts had higher firearm suicide rates, although the rate of firearm suicide increased with age across all cohorts. Among women, firearm suicide rates were also highest among older cohorts; however, firearm suicide rates decreased or remained relatively constant with age.ConclusionThere are important differences in rates of firearm homicide and suicide with respect to gender, age, period and cohort.
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Culyba AJ. It Is Time We Start Asking: Handgun Carrying Among Youth in Rural Contexts. J Adolesc Health 2020; 66:383-384. [PMID: 32199517 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Culyba
- Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Rowhani-Rahbar A, Oesterle S, Skinner ML. Initiation Age, Cumulative Prevalence, and Longitudinal Patterns of Handgun Carrying Among Rural Adolescents: A Multistate Study. J Adolesc Health 2020; 66:416-422. [PMID: 31987724 PMCID: PMC7156341 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.11.313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Adolescent handgun carrying is a behavioral marker for youth interpersonal conflicts and an intervention point for violence prevention. Our knowledge about the epidemiology of adolescent handgun carrying mainly pertains to urban settings. Evidence on the initiation age, cumulative prevalence, and longitudinal patterns of this behavior and on handgun-related norms and peer behavior among male and female rural adolescents is scant. METHODS We used data from the control arm of the Community Youth Development Study, a community-randomized controlled trial of the Communities That Care prevention system. Annually, 1,039 males and 963 females were surveyed from Grade 6 (2005) to age 19 years (2012) in 12 rural towns across seven U.S. states. RESULTS In Grade 6, 11.5% of males and 2.8% of females reported past-year handgun carrying. Between Grade 6 and age 19 years, 33.7% of males and 9.6% of females reported handgun carrying at least once. Among participants who ever reported handgun carrying, 34.0% of males and 29.3% of females did so for the first time in Grade 6. Among participants who ever reported handgun carrying, 54.6% of males and 71.7% of females did so only one time over the seven study assessments. Greater proportions of participants who reported handgun carrying than those who did not do so endorsed prohandgun norms and had a peer who carried among both males (Grade 10: prevalence difference = 57%; 95% CI: 46%-67%) and females (Grade 10: prevalence difference = 45%; 95% CI: 12%-78%). CONCLUSIONS Rural adolescent handgun carrying is not uncommon and warrants etiologic research for developing culturally appropriate and setting-specific prevention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Rowhani-Rahbar
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Firearm Injury & Policy Research Program, Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Sabrina Oesterle
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Martie L Skinner
- Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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Carter PM, Mouch CA, Goldstick JE, Walton MA, Zimmerman MA, Resnicow K, Cunningham RM. Rates and correlates of risky firearm behaviors among adolescents and young adults treated in an urban emergency department. Prev Med 2020; 130:105891. [PMID: 31726077 PMCID: PMC7182087 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Firearm violence is a leading cause of death for urban adolescents and young adults (A/YAs). Little is known about patterns of risky firearm behaviors (RFBs) that may increase firearm-related fatality and non-fatal injury risk. To inform prevention efforts, we examined the rates and correlates of RFBs, including firearm carriage in risky situations (e.g., while drunk/high), discharge in risky situations (e.g., fleeing police), and firearm aggression (e.g., firearm threats/use against a partner/non-partner), among a sample of A/YAs (age-16-29) seeking medical or injury related care (7/2017-6/2018) at a Level-1 urban Emergency Department (ED). In total, 1312 A/YAs completed the survey (mean-age 23.2; 29.6%-male; 50.5%-Black; 56.3%-public assistance), with 102 (7.8%) engaging in RFBs. Among those engaging in RFBs, 42% reported firearm ownership, 68.6% firearm carriage in high-risk situations, 39.2% firearm discharge in risky situations, and 41.2% reported partner/non-partner firearm aggression. Regression identified RFBs correlates, including older age (AOR = 1.09), male sex (AOR = 1.63), Black race/ethnicity (AOR = 2.01), substance misuse (AOR = 2.75), attitudes favoring firearm use/retaliation (AOR = 1.38), peer firearm ownership/carriage (AOR = 3.26), higher levels of community violence exposure (AOR = 1.05), and active parole/probation (AOR 2.38). Higher coping skills were protective for RFBs (AOR = 0.83). Overall, we found that A/YAs seeking urban ED treatment reported elevated RFB rates, emphasizing the need for novel prevention initiatives, especially those incorporating tailored content addressing substance use, retaliatory violence, and peer delinquency/norms, while enhancing self-efficacy for avoiding RFBs and providing access to external resources within a resiliency-based framework. Such prevention approaches may be a critical step towards addressing the public health problem of firearm violence. Primary Funding Sources: NIH/NIDA K23DA039341; NIH/NCATS UL1TR000433.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Carter
- Univ. of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC 10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, United States of America; Youth Violence Prevention Center, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America.
| | - Charles A Mouch
- Univ. of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC 10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, United States of America.
| | - Jason E Goldstick
- Univ. of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC 10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, United States of America.
| | - Maureen A Walton
- Univ. of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC 10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; University of Michigan, Addiction Center, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America.
| | - Marc A Zimmerman
- Univ. of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC 10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Youth Violence Prevention Center, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; University of Michigan, Addiction Center, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America.
| | - Ken Resnicow
- Department of Health Behavior & Health, Education, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights 3790A SPH I, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America.
| | - Rebecca M Cunningham
- Univ. of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 2800 Plymouth Road, NCRC 10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, United States of America; Youth Violence Prevention Center, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Department of Health Behavior & Health, Education, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights 3790A SPH I, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; Hurley Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, 1 Hurley Plaza, Flint, MI 48503, United States of America.
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Cunningham RM, Ranney ML, Goldstick JE, Kamat SV, Roche JS, Carter PM. Federal Funding For Research On The Leading Causes Of Death Among Children And Adolescents. Health Aff (Millwood) 2019; 38:1653-1661. [PMID: 31589521 PMCID: PMC7039655 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Firearm injuries are the second-leading cause of death for US children and adolescents (ages 1-18). This analysis quantified the federal dollars granted to research for the leading US causes of death for this age group in 2008-17. Several federal data sources were queried. On average, in the study period, $88 million per year was granted to research motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death in this age group. Cancer, the third-leading cause of mortality, received $335 million per year. In contrast, $12 million-only thirty-two grants, averaging $597 in research dollars per death-went to firearm injury prevention research among children and adolescents. According to a regression analysis, funding for pediatric firearm injury prevention was only 3.3 percent of what would be predicted by mortality burden, and that level of funding resulted in fewer scientific articles than predicted. A thirtyfold increase in firearm injury research funding focused on this age group, or at least $37 million per year, is needed for research funding to be commensurate with the mortality burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M. Cunningham
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, in Ann Arbor
| | - Megan L. Ranney
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Jason E. Goldstick
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine
| | - Sonia V. Kamat
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine
| | - Jessica S. Roche
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine
| | - Patrick M. Carter
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine
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Cunningham RM, Carter PM, Zimmerman M. The Firearm Safety Among Children and Teens (FACTS) Consortium: defining the current state of the science on pediatric firearm injury prevention. J Behav Med 2019; 42:702-705. [PMID: 31367935 PMCID: PMC7139852 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-019-00077-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Five teams of FACTS researchers conducted a series of rigorous scoping reviews of the existing published scientific literature from the fields of medicine, public health, psychology, behavioral health, and criminology from January of 1985 through April of 2018 utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Scoping Reviews (Tricco et al., Ann Intern Med 169:467-473, 2018) framework to guide the search strategy, study selection, data abstraction, and analysis process. These scoping reviews characterize the existing scientific literature in five key areas related to Firearm Injury Prevention among children and adolescents (age 0-17): (1) Adolescent Firearm Carriage; (2) Risk and Protective Factors for Firearm Injury; (3) Primary Prevention Initiatives; (4) Long-term consequences and secondary prevention of negative outcomes after a firearm injury; and, (5) Effects of existing law and policy interventions on pediatric firearm outcomes. In this special issue of the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, we present these five scoping review articles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Cunningham
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- FACTS Consortium, 2800 Plymouth Rd., Bldg 10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Patrick M Carter
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- FACTS Consortium, 2800 Plymouth Rd., Bldg 10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Mark Zimmerman
- School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- FACTS Consortium, 2800 Plymouth Rd., Bldg 10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
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Cunningham RM, Carter PM, Ranney ML, Walton M, Zeoli AM, Alpern ER, Branas C, Beidas RS, Ehrlich PF, Goyal MK, Goldstick JE, Hemenway D, Hargarten SW, King CA, Massey L, Ngo Q, Pizarro J, Prosser L, Rowhani-Rahbar A, Rivara F, Rupp LA, Sigel E, Savolainen J, Zimmerman MA. Prevention of Firearm Injuries Among Children and Adolescents: Consensus-Driven Research Agenda from the Firearm Safety Among Children and Teens (FACTS) Consortium. JAMA Pediatr 2019; 173:780-789. [PMID: 31180470 PMCID: PMC6901804 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.1494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Firearm injuries are the second leading cause of death among US children and adolescents. Because of the lack of resources allocated to firearm injury prevention during the past 25 years, research has lagged behind other areas of injury prevention. Identifying timely and important research questions regarding firearm injury prevention is a critical step for reducing pediatric mortality. OBJECTIVE The Firearm Safety Among Children and Teens (FACTS) Consortium, a National Institute for Child Health and Human Development-funded group of scientists and stakeholders, was formed in 2017 to develop research resources for the field, including a pediatric-specific research agenda for firearm injury prevention to assist future researchers and funders, as well as to inform cross-disciplinary evidence-based research on this critical injury prevention topic. EVIDENCE REVIEW A nominal group technique process was used, including 4 key steps (idea generation, round-robin, clarification, and voting and consensus). During idea generation, stakeholders and workgroups generated initial research agenda topics after conducting scoping reviews of the literature to identify existing gaps in knowledge. Agenda topics were refined through 6 rounds of discussion and survey feedback (ie, round-robin, and clarification steps). Final voting (using a 5-point Likert scale) was conducted to achieve consensus (≥70% of consortium ranking items at 4 or 5 priority for inclusion) around key research priorities for the next 5 years of research in this field. Final agenda questions were reviewed by both the stakeholder group and an external panel of research experts not affiliated with the FACTS Consortium. Feedback was integrated and the final set of agenda items was ratified by the entire FACTS Consortium. FINDINGS Overall, 26 priority agenda items with examples of specific research questions were identified across 5 major thematic areas, including epidemiology and risk and protective factors, primary prevention, secondary prevention and sequelae, cross-cutting prevention factors, policy, and data enhancement. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These priority agenda items, when taken together, define a comprehensive pediatric-specific firearm injury prevention research agenda that will guide research resource allocation within this field during the next 5 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M. Cunningham
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Patrick M. Carter
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Megan L. Ranney
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Maureen Walton
- Department of Psychiatry, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - April M. Zeoli
- School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, East Lansing
| | - Elizabeth R. Alpern
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Charles Branas
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Rinad S. Beidas
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Peter F. Ehrlich
- Department of Surgery, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Monika K. Goyal
- Children’s National Medical Center, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Jason E. Goldstick
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - David Hemenway
- Department of Health Policy and Management, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Stephen W. Hargarten
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Comprehensive Injury Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
| | - Cheryl A. King
- Department of Psychiatry, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Lynn Massey
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Quyen Ngo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Jesenia Pizarro
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University, Phoenix
| | - Lisa Prosser
- Child Health Evaluation and Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Ali Rowhani-Rahbar
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle,Departments of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle,Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Fredrick Rivara
- Departments of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle,Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Laney A. Rupp
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Eric Sigel
- Section of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora
| | - Jukka Savolainen
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Marc A. Zimmerman
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
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