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Jain V, Hemenway D. Cross-State Relationship of Firearm Violence Between Police and Civilians: Gun Ownership as a Common Denominator. J Urban Health 2024:10.1007/s11524-024-00904-5. [PMID: 39196466 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-024-00904-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Vageesh Jain
- Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - David Hemenway
- Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Bleyer A, Siegel SE, Estrada J, Thomas CR. Fallacy of attributing the U.S. firearm mortality epidemic to mental health. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0290138. [PMID: 39102407 PMCID: PMC11299823 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Annual global data on mental disorders prevalence and firearm death rates for 2000-2019, enables the U.S. to be compared with comparable counties for these metrics. METHODS The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Health Burden data were used to compare the prevalence of mental disorders with overall, homicide and suicide firearm death rates including homicides and suicides, in high sociodemographic (SDI) countries. RESULTS Overall and in none of the nine major categories of mental disorders did the U.S. have a statistically-significant higher rate than any of 40 other high SDI countries during 2019, the last year of available data. During the same year, the U.S. had a statistically-significant higher rate of all deaths, homicides, and suicides by firearm (all p<<0.001) than all other 40 high SDI countries. Suicides accounted for most of the firearm death rate differences between the U.S. and other high SDI countries, and yet the prevalence of mental health disorders associated with suicide were not significantly difference between the U.S. and other high SDI countries. CONCLUSION Mental disorder prevalence in the U.S. is similar in all major categories to its 40 comparable sociodemographic countries, including mental health disorders primarily associated with suicide. It cannot therefore explain the country's strikingly higher firearm death rate, including suicide. Reducing firearm prevalence, which is correlated with the country's firearm death rate, is a logical solution that has been applied by other countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archie Bleyer
- Knight Cancer Institute and Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
- McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Stuart E. Siegel
- AYA Cancer Coalition and CureSearch, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Jaime Estrada
- Texas Doctors for Social Responsibility, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Charles R. Thomas
- Radiation Oncology, Geisel School of Medicine @ Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
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Shjarback JA, Semenza DC, Stansfield R. Firearm availability and police shootings of citizens: a city level analysis of fatal and injurious shootings in California and Florida. Inj Epidemiol 2023; 10:50. [PMID: 37864228 PMCID: PMC10588120 DOI: 10.1186/s40621-023-00466-1] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A growing body of research has found a link between firearm availability and police shootings of citizens across place. The problem, however, is that the previous studies on the topic tend to suffer from several limitations: a near exclusive focus on citizen fatalities, units of analysis at the state or county levels, and a variety of proxy measures tapping into community-level firearm access. The current study set out to address these issues by examining the relationship between different forms of firearm availability and both fatal and nonfatal injurious police shootings of citizens at the city level. METHODS More specifically, it merged The Trace's "Missing Pieces" measures of guns reported lost and stolen to police as well as licensed firearms dealers across jurisdictions from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as proxies for firearm availability with data on police shootings of citizens in California and Florida from California's URSUS system and the Tampa Bay Times' "Why Cops Shoot" database, respectively. Negative binomial regression analyses were performed on a sample of 253 cities across the two states and a sub-sample of cities with licensed firearms dealers. RESULTS Findings uncovered a small positive association between rates of federally licensed guns stores and the number citizens shot by police as well as police shooting incidents while controlling for several community-level measures (e.g., concentrated disadvantage, gun homicide rates). Rates of guns lost or reported stolen were generally not significantly associated with the outcome measures in the multivariate models. CONCLUSIONS Firearm availability is a significant correlate of police shootings. Pooled counts of both citizens shot by police and police shooting incidents are heightened in jurisdictions with higher rates of licensed gun dealers, which may be due to the fact that all firearms sold in the USA first make their way to the public through these mechanisms. Such licensed gun dealers must be appropriately monitored and audited to reduce illicit behavior and prevent firearms from making their way into secondary markets. Addressing access to firearms can be meaningful for a host of gun-related morbidity and mortality outcomes, including police shootings of citizens.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Shjarback
- Department of Law and Justice Studies, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ, 08028, USA.
| | - Daniel C Semenza
- Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice, Rutgers University-Camden, Camden, NJ, USA
- Department of Urban-Global Public Health, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Richard Stansfield
- Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice, Rutgers University-Camden, Camden, NJ, USA
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Gobaud AN, Mehranbod CA, Reeping PM, Bushover BR, Morrison CN. Firearm assaults against US law enforcement officers in the line-of-duty: Associations with firearm ownership and state firearm laws. Prev Med Rep 2022; 30:102002. [PMID: 36189125 PMCID: PMC9519372 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.102002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Law enforcement officers are disproportionately affected by occupational injury. Firearm violence is the second leading cause of occupational mortality for this group behind motor vehicle crashes. In the general population, greater firearm ownership and weaker firearm laws are associated with increased firearm violence incidence. It is plausible that a high prevalence of firearms could also be associated with a greater incidence of LEO assault with a firearm. Using data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s, Uniform Crime Reporting, Police Employee Data for 2006–2016, we conducted a panel analysis to estimate the association between state-level estimates of household firearm ownership and LEO assault with a firearm. We additionally examined if effect modification by universal background check law status was present. Higher state-level firearm ownership was associated with an increased odds of LEO assault with a firearm in multi-level models. This association was modified by universal background check law status. In states without a universal background check law, for every 1% increase in state-level firearm ownership per agency-year, there was a 12.4% increase in the odds of an LEO assault with a firearm when adjusting for confounders (OR:1.124; 95% CI:1.018,1.240). In states with a universal background check law, there was no association. Findings, though small in magnitude, suggest aggregate firearm ownership may contribute to LEO assault with a firearm in states without a universal background check law. Future research to prevent LEO assault with a firearm should combine measures to address high rates of firearm ownership with other evidence-based prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariana N Gobaud
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, NY, NY, United States
| | - Christina A Mehranbod
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, NY, NY, United States
| | - Paul M Reeping
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, NY, NY, United States
| | - Brady R Bushover
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, NY, NY, United States
| | - Christopher N Morrison
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, NY, NY, United States.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Australia
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Sierra-Arévalo M, Nix J. Gun victimization in the line of duty: Fatal and nonfatal firearm assaults on police officers in the United States, 2014-2019. CRIMINOLOGY & PUBLIC POLICY 2020; 19:1041-1066. [PMID: 38549863 PMCID: PMC10978003 DOI: 10.1111/1745-9133.12507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Research Summary Using open-source data from the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), we analyze national- and state-level trends in fatal and nonfatal firearm assaults of U.S. police officers from 2014 to 2019 (N = 1,467). Results show that (a) most firearm assaults are nonfatal, (b) there is no compelling evidence that the national rate of firearm assault on police has substantially increased during the last 6 years, and (c) there is substantial state-level variation in rates of firearm assault on police officers. Policy Implications GVA has decided strengths relative to existing data sources on police victimization and danger in policing. We consider the promises and pitfalls of this and other open-source data sets in policing research and recommend that recent state-level improvements in use-of-force data collection be replicated and expanded to include data on violence against police.
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Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma firearm injury prevention statement. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open 2019; 4:e000294. [PMID: 30899800 PMCID: PMC6407542 DOI: 10.1136/tsaco-2018-000294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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Abstract
The USA has very high rates of homicide by police compared to other high-income countries, with approximately 1000 civilians killed annually. The overwhelming majority of these police homicides are fatal shootings. Over the past 5 years, several comprehensive, real-time, data repositories, drawn largely from news reporting, have kept track of incidents in which civilians die during an encounter with the police and have become widely available. Data from these repositories, which are more complete than data available from federal data systems, have been used to explore fatal police shootings of civilians, often with a focus on racial disparities in police shootings of unarmed civilians, and have consistently found that police are more likely to shoot unarmed African American men than unarmed White men. Although numerous studies have examined how rates of police killings of civilians are related to several ecologic determinants of these events, no peer-reviewed study to date has examined the extent to which variation in police involved firearm homicides is explained by firearm prevalence while adjusting for violent crime rates (the most well-established ecologic factor associated with fatal police shootings). The current cross-sectional state-level analysis uses data on the number of civilians shot and killed by police in the line of duty, aggregated over 2015-2017. Data come from the Washington Post's "Fatal Force Database", which assembles the information from news reports and other sources. Data provided include information on whether the victim was armed, and, if so, with what weapon. Explanatory ecologic variables in our models include the violent crime rate, the percentage of the state population that is non-White, poverty rate, and urbanization, along with a validated proxy for firearm prevalence. We find that rates of police shooting deaths are significantly and positively correlated with levels of household gun ownership, even after accounting for the other explanatory variables. The association is stronger for the shooting of armed (with a gun) rather than unarmed victims.
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Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma Firearm Injury Prevention Statement. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2019; 86:168-170. [DOI: 10.1097/ta.0000000000002148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Liu W, Taylor B. Profiles of law enforcement agency body armor policies-A latent class analysis of the LEMAS 2013 data. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2017; 14:873-881. [PMID: 28657501 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2017.1339163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The life-saving benefits of body armor have been well-documented, and law enforcement agency (LEA) body armor wear requirements have been cited by police officers as one of the most important reasons for them to wear body armor. However, research on LEAs' policies and practices regarding body armor is scarce. This study examined whether there are different agency-level profiles of various body armor-related policies, and related these body armor policy profiles to agency characteristics, size, location, etc. U.S. LEAs fell into four distinct profiles based on their body armor policies. Close to half of the LEAs had comprehensive coverage of body armor policies in all aspects. However, nearly one in five LEAs had very weak body armor policies in all aspects. The rest of the LEAs split into two groups, each with different strengths and weaknesses on selection, training, fitting, wearing, and inspection policies. Sheriff's offices and smaller LEAs were found to have weaker policies. In contrast, LEAs with a community policing emphasis and those with body armor grants were found to have stronger body armor polices, especially when it comes to mandatory wearing polices. Findings from the study provide a portrait of the current state of LEA body armor policies, and provide guidance for improving LEAs' body armor policies and practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Liu
- a NORC at the University of Chicago , Bethesda , Maryland
| | - Bruce Taylor
- a NORC at the University of Chicago , Bethesda , Maryland
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Kivisto AJ, Ray B, Phalen PL. Firearm Legislation and Fatal Police Shootings in the United States. Am J Public Health 2017; 107:1068-1075. [PMID: 28520488 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2017.303770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine whether stricter firearm legislation is associated with rates of fatal police shootings. METHODS We used a cross-sectional, state-level design to evaluate the effect of state-level firearm legislation on rates of fatal police shootings from January 1, 2015, through October 31, 2016. We measured state-level variation in firearm laws with legislative scorecards from the Brady Center, and for fatal police shootings we used The Counted, an online database maintained by The Guardian. RESULTS State-level firearm legislation was significantly associated with lower rates of fatal police shootings (incidence rate ratio = 0.961; 95% confidence interval = 0.939, 0.984). When we controlled for sociodemographic factors, states in the top quartile of legislative strength had a 51% lower incidence rate than did states in the lowest quartile. Laws aimed at strengthening background checks, promoting safe storage, and reducing gun trafficking were associated with fewer fatal police shootings. CONCLUSIONS Legislative restrictions on firearms are associated with reductions in fatal police shootings. Public Health Implications. Although further research is necessary to determine causality and potential mechanisms, firearm legislation is a potential policy solution for reducing fatal police shootings in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron J Kivisto
- Aaron J. Kivisto and Peter L. Phalen are with the School of Psychological Sciences, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN. Bradley Ray is with the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis
| | - Bradley Ray
- Aaron J. Kivisto and Peter L. Phalen are with the School of Psychological Sciences, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN. Bradley Ray is with the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis
| | - Peter L Phalen
- Aaron J. Kivisto and Peter L. Phalen are with the School of Psychological Sciences, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN. Bradley Ray is with the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis
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Laidlaw MAS, Filippelli G, Mielke H, Gulson B, Ball AS. Lead exposure at firing ranges-a review. Environ Health 2017; 16:34. [PMID: 28376827 PMCID: PMC5379568 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-017-0246-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lead (Pb) is a toxic substance with well-known, multiple, long-term, adverse health outcomes. Shooting guns at firing ranges is an occupational necessity for security personnel, police officers, members of the military, and increasingly a recreational activity by the public. In the United States alone, an estimated 16,000-18,000 firing ranges exist. Discharge of Pb dust and gases is a consequence of shooting guns. METHODS The objectives of this study are to review the literature on blood lead levels (BLLs) and potential adverse health effects associated with the shooting population. The search terms "blood lead", "lead poisoning", "lead exposure", "marksmen", "firearms", "shooting", "guns", "rifles" and "firing ranges" were used in the search engines Google Scholar, PubMed and Science Direct to identify studies that described BLLs in association with firearm use and health effects associated with shooting activities. RESULTS Thirty-six articles were reviewed that included BLLs from shooters at firing ranges. In 31 studies BLLs > 10 μg/dL were reported in some shooters, 18 studies reported BLLs > 20 μg/dL, 17 studies > 30 μg/d, and 15 studies BLLs > 40 μg/dL. The literature indicates that BLLs in shooters are associated with Pb aerosol discharge from guns and air Pb at firing ranges, number of bullets discharged, and the caliber of weapon fired. CONCLUSIONS Shooting at firing ranges results in the discharge of Pb dust, elevated BLLs, and exposures that are associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes. Women and children are among recreational shooters at special risk and they do not receive the same health protections as occupational users of firing ranges. Nearly all BLL measurements compiled in the reviewed studies exceed the current reference level of 5 μg/dL recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (CDC/NIOSH). Thus firing ranges, regardless of type and user classification, currently constitute a significant and unmanaged public health problem. Prevention includes clothing changed after shooting, behavioural modifications such as banning of smoking and eating at firing ranges, improved ventilation systems and oversight of indoor ranges, and development of airflow systems at outdoor ranges. Eliminating lead dust risk at firing ranges requires primary prevention and using lead-free primers and lead-free bullets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. S. Laidlaw
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation (EnSuRe), School of Science, RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, VIC 3083 Australia
| | - Gabriel Filippelli
- Department of Earth Sciences and Center for Urban Health, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Indianapolis, IN USA
| | - Howard Mielke
- Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA USA
| | - Brian Gulson
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Andrew S. Ball
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation (EnSuRe), School of Science, RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, VIC 3083 Australia
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Rozel JS, Mulvey EP. The Link Between Mental Illness and Firearm Violence: Implications for Social Policy and Clinical Practice. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2017; 13:445-469. [PMID: 28375722 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-021815-093459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The United States has substantially higher levels of firearm violence than most other developed countries. Firearm violence is a significant and preventable public health crisis. Mental illness is a weak risk factor for violence despite popular misconceptions reflected in the media and policy. That said, mental health professionals play a critical role in assessing their patients for violence risk, counseling about firearm safety, and guiding the creation of rational and evidence-based public policy that can be effective in mitigating violence risk without unnecessarily stigmatizing people with mental illness. This article summarizes existing evidence about the interplay among mental illness, violence, and firearms, with particular attention paid to the role of active symptoms, addiction, victimization, and psychosocial risk factors. The social and legal context of firearm ownership is discussed as a preface to exploring practical, evidence-driven, and behaviorally informed policy recommendations for mitigating firearm violence risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Rozel
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213; ,
| | - Edward P Mulvey
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213; ,
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Buschmann RN, Prochaska JD, Baillargeon JG, Temple JR. Firearm carrying and concurrent substance use behaviours in a community-based sample of emerging adults. Inj Prev 2017; 23:383-387. [PMID: 28193713 DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2016-042220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 12/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This paper examines associations between high-risk gun carrying and substance use in emerging adults (ages 18-22). The coexistence of these high-risk behaviours in a general population of emerging adults can have disastrous consequences. METHODS Dating it Safe is an ongoing longitudinal (2010-2016) survey of emerging adults recruited from seven high schools in five south-east Texas-area school districts (current sample n=684). Multiple logistic regression modelling was used to examine the association between past-year use of legal and illegal substances and past-year firearm carrying for a reason other than sport or hunting. RESULTS 6% of emerging adults carried firearms in the past year, with most (68%) carrying for protection. Use of cocaine, hallucinogens, methamphetamine, ecstasy and prescription medications in the past year, as well as episodic heavy drinking in the past month, was associated with increased risk of carrying a firearm (p<0.05 for all). After controlling for covariates, hallucinogens (OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.00 to 7.81), ecstasy (OR 3.66, 95% CI 1.32 to 10.14) and prescription medications (OR 2.85, 95% CI 1.22 to 6.68) remained associated with firearm carrying. Episodic heavy drinking was associated with firearm carrying, but only for those who had five or more episodes/month (OR 3.61, 95% CI 1.51 to 8.66). CONCLUSIONS In this community-based sample of emerging adults, firearm carrying, mostly for protection, was associated with a variety of past-year substance use behaviours. These findings extend previous research and suggest directions for further exploration of the clustering of high-risk behaviours in emerging adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert N Buschmann
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - John D Prochaska
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Jacques G Baillargeon
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Jeff R Temple
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
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Liu W, Taylor B. The effect of body armor on saving officers' lives: An analysis using LEOKA data. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2017; 14:73-80. [PMID: 27715652 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2016.1214272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Using the Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA; 2002-2011) database, we examined the life-saving effectiveness of body armor while adjusting for a range of confounders not assessed in previous studies. Among the 637 officers who were shot by a firearm at the torso, those who wore body armor were 76% less likely to be killed than those who did not wear armor, controlling for an array of individual and incident characteristics. A number of factors influenced officers' armor wearing behavior include age, BMI, rank, geographic region, and type of assignment. Results will inform law enforcement agencies in assessing gaps in their current policy and help focus limited resources to encourage armor wearing. The investigation of other factors that influence police officers' chance of surviving a gun shooting (while controlling for body armor) will also have important implications for policies related to sending backup officers to police shootings, emergency response, and other critical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Liu
- a NORC at the University of Chicago , Bethesda , Maryland
| | - Bruce Taylor
- a NORC at the University of Chicago , Bethesda , Maryland
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Strong BL, Ballard SB, Braund W. The American College of Preventive Medicine Policy Recommendations on Reducing and Preventing Firearm-Related Injuries and Deaths. Am J Prev Med 2016; 51:1084-1089. [PMID: 27743624 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Revised: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The American College of Preventive Medicine Policy Committee makes policy guidelines and recommendations on preventive medicine and public health topics for public health decision makers. After a review of the current evidence available in 2016, the College is providing a consensus-based set of policy recommendations designed to reduce firearm-related morbidity and mortality in the U.S. These guidelines address seven general areas pertaining to the public health threat posed by firearms: gun sales and background checks, assault weapons and high-capacity weapons, mental health, research funding, gun storage laws, and physician counseling.
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Crifasi CK, Pollack KM, Webster DW. Assaults against U.S. law enforcement officers in the line-of-duty: situational context and predictors of lethality. Inj Epidemiol 2016; 3:29. [PMID: 27885587 PMCID: PMC5122525 DOI: 10.1186/s40621-016-0094-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Research on occupational safety of law enforcement officers (LEOs) has primarily focused on fatal assaults. Nonfatal assaults, however, have received little attention. The goal of this study was to describe the situational contexts in which LEOs are assaulted, and compare these contexts and risks between fatal and nonfatal assaults in the U.S. Analyzing both types of assaults provides a more complete understanding of occupational safety and opportunities for intervention. Methods This study includes a descriptive epidemiology of fatal and nonfatal assaults of LEOs in the U.S. and a pooled cross-sectional analysis of risk factors contributing to the odds of lethal assault. Data were collected from the Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted database. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize fatal and nonfatal assaults. Odds ratios were generated to understand the odds that an assault would result in a fatality. Results Between 1998 and 2013, there were 791 fatal assaults and 2,022 nonfatal assaults of LEOs. Nearly 60% of primary wounds in fatal assaults were received to the head, neck, or throat while nearly 50% of primary wounds in nonfatal assaults were received to the arms/hands or below the waist. The odds that an assault resulted in a fatality decreased by 57% (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.58) when a LEO was wearing body armor. LEOs experiencing an ambush or unprovoked attack had significantly increased odds of an assault resulting in a fatality (OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.83 to 5.85 and OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.44 to 3.47 respectively). LEOs that were disarmed during an encounter with a suspect had more than 2-fold increased odds of an assault resulting in a fatality (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.48 to 3.38). Conclusions There are specific situational and encounter characteristics that influence the lethality of an assault, which suggest strategies for prevention. Mandatory wear policies for the use of body armor could significantly reduce mortality among assaulted LEOs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40621-016-0094-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra K Crifasi
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Education and Research Center for Occupational Safety and Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA. .,Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Keshia M Pollack
- Johns Hopkins Education and Research Center for Occupational Safety and Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.,Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Daniel W Webster
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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Betz ME, Miller M, Barber C, Beaty B, Miller I, Camargo CA, Boudreaux ED. LETHAL MEANS ACCESS AND ASSESSMENT AMONG SUICIDAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PATIENTS. Depress Anxiety 2016; 33:502-11. [PMID: 26989850 PMCID: PMC4800489 DOI: 10.1002/da.22486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Revised: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reducing access to lethal means (especially firearms) might prevent suicide, but counseling of at-risk individuals about this strategy may not be routine. Among emergency department (ED) patients with suicidal ideation or attempts (SI/SA), we sought to describe home firearm access and examine ED provider assessment of access to lethal means. METHODS This secondary analysis used data from the Emergency Department Safety Assessment and Follow-up Evaluation, a three-phase, eight-center study of adult ED patients with SI/SA (2010-2013). Research staff surveyed participants about suicide-related factors (including home firearms) and later reviewed the ED chart (including documented assessment of lethal means access). RESULTS Among 1,358 patients with SI/SA, 11% (95% CI: 10-13%) reported ≥1 firearm at home; rates varied across sites (range: 6-26%) but not over time. On chart review, 50% (95% CI: 47-52%) of patients had documentation of lethal means access assessment. Frequency of documented assessment increased over study phases (40-60%, P < .001) but was not associated with state firearm ownership rates. Among the 337 (25%, 95% CI: 23-27%) patients discharged to home, 55% (95% CI: 49-60%) had no documentation of lethal means assessment; of these, 13% (95% CI: 8-19%; n = 24) actually had ≥1 firearm at home. Among all those reporting ≥1 home firearm to study staff, only half (50%, 95% CI: 42-59%) had provider documentation of assessment of lethal means access. CONCLUSIONS Among these ED patients with SI/SA, many did not have documented assessment of home access to lethal means, including patients who were discharged home and had ≥1 firearm at home.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian E. Betz
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine; Aurora, CO
| | - Matthew Miller
- Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Catherine Barber
- Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Brenda Beaty
- Adult and Child Center for Health Outcomes Research and Delivery Science, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
| | | | - Carlos A. Camargo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Edwin D. Boudreaux
- Departments of Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
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