Pediatric Hospitalists at the Front Line of Gun Violence Prevention: Every Patient Encounter Is an Opportunity to Promote Safe Gun Storage

Abstract

Pediatric hospitalists have a critical role to play in the prevention of firearm death and injury in children. Gun violence is the second leading cause of death for children and adolescents.1 Just over half of these deaths are homicide, with the remaining attributed to suicide and unintentional shootings. There are more child deaths from gun violence than child deaths from cancer, heart disease, and lung disease combined.1 These startling statistics should urge all pediatricians to act, including those invested in the care of hospitalized children. This uniquely American problem is driven, in part, by access to unsecured firearms. In America, 4.6 million children live in a household with at least 1 loaded, unlocked gun.2 Access to unsecured firearms puts children at risk for unintentional shootings and adolescents at risk for suicide.3 Responsible storage (keeping guns locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition) can decrease these risks.3 The majority of children in gun-owning households are aware of where their parents store the gun, with more than one-third reporting previously handling the gun.4 We cannot rely on curious children to not find a gun that is “hidden” or to know what to do if they encounter a gun. Educational programs that are focused on teaching children about gun safety do not work. In fact, after completing gun safety training programs, preschool- and school-aged children are just as likely to approach and play with a handgun as those not given the training.5 Access to a firearm is key modifiable risk factor for adolescent suicide in the United States.6 Of the adolescents screened in 1 study, …

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