A Plan for Reducing Gun Violence in the US by Marc Brenman
o Reduce community acceptance of inappropriately angry and uncivil adults o Seek to comprehensively reduce unnecessary daily stressors o Assess and increase feeling of safety for youth, o Assure that stressed youth have access to safe, outdoor play and physical activity to release feelings of stress o Improve greenspace and walkablity of community environments” (Firearm Injury in the US; Firearm and Injury Center at Penn; www.uphwww.uphs.upenn.edu/ficap)
Pay Attention to Elderly Issues Among population groups especially at risk for gun violence, the elderly are usually ignored. However, while firearm injury is often considered primarily a problem of urban youth, firearm suicide rates are highest among the elderly. (FICAP) A strong association has been found between suicide and handgun access in the elderly later in life. (Conwell et al, Am J Geriatric Psychiatry 2002) Spousal homicide-suicide in older persons, while rare, is an emerging public health concern, with unique characteristics. (Maplhurs and Cohen, Am J Geriatric Psychiatry, 2005) In a VA survey of patients of cognitive status, firearms and driving, 40% of dementia patients had a gun in the home. Therefore, physicians who diagnose dementia should also perform screening and ask questions about guns in the homes of the elderly.
Prevent Suicide Many people commit suicide using a gun. “[I]t is reasonable to suppose that a policy that made it more difficult for those who consider it to use their preferred means of ending their lives (often, a gunshot) would cause some to desist.” (U. of Chicago) Gun suicides are more common among whites than blacks, and more common among the old than among young or middle-aged adults (Cook & Ludwig, 2000). Men are vastly overrepresented in all categories. The issue of guns should be linked to the issue of suicide prevention. Access to firearms is a risk factor for suicide. Firearms used in youth suicide usually belong to a parent. Reducing access to lethal means saves lives. The best generally available proxy for gun prevalence is the fraction of suicides that involve a firearm (FSS), which is highly correlated with survey-based measures of gun ownership rates in cross-section data (at both the state and county level), and also tracks movements over time at the regional and state levels (Azrael, Cook, & Miller, 2004; Kleck, 2004; Cook & Ludwig, 2006). “[S]tates with relatively high gun ownership rates also have a higher ratio of male-to-female suicides compared with states with fewer guns. These findings are consistent with the idea that guns increase the lethality of suicide attempts. (U. of Chicago)
Check Backgrounds and Keep Records Ensure state compliance with requirements to post appropriate mental health records in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
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