Miscellaneous

Working with experts on income inequality, social capital, and mortality, we analyzed the relationship between firearm availability and measures of social trust and civic engagement across U.S. states.  We found that states with more guns have lower levels of both mutual trust and civic engagement, after accounting for urbanization, poverty and median household income.

Hemenway, David; Kennedy, Bruce; Kawachi, Ichiro; Putnam, Robert D.  Firearm prevalence and social capital.  Annals of Epidemiology.  2001; 11:484-490.

We made the case that more research needs to be done to make firearms safer, more effective, and less lethal.

Hemenway, David; Weil, Douglas S.  Phasers on stun: The case for less lethal weapons.  Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.  1990; 9:94-98.

Hemenway, David; Weil, Douglas S.  Less lethal weapons.  Op-Ed, Washington Post, May 14, 1990.

This editorial, in a leading psychiatric journal (accompanied by a podcast by Drs. Matthew Miller and David Brent) makes the case that effective legislation, including universal background checks, is urgently needed, and could sustainably reduce our country’s firearms death toll.

Lead author David Brent conducted many of the early case-control studies on the risk a gun in the home poses for adolescent suicide.  It is important to have psychiatrists on board in the struggle to reduce firearm violence.

Brent D, Miller M, Loeber R, Mulvey E, Birmaher B.  Ending the silence on gun violence.  Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.  2013; 52:333-38.

Across U.S. states, higher levels of firearm ownership are associated with higher levels of firearm assault, firearm robbery, firearm homicide and overall homicide.  The findings do not support the hypothesis that higher population firearm ownership rates reduce firearm-associated criminal perpetration.  On the contrary, evidence shows that states with higher levels of firearm ownership have an increased risk for violent crimes perpetrated with a firearm.

This article provides evidence that contradicts the common claim among gun advocates that gun ownership helps reduce crime.

Monuteaux MC, Lee LK, Hemenway D, Mannix R, Fleegler EW.  Firearm ownership and violent crime in the U.S.: An ecological study.  American Journal of Preventive Medicine.   2015; 49:207-14.

A law article highlights the fact that although hundreds of thousands of guns are stolen each year, the US legal system is currently bankrupt of tools to deter dangerous, unreasonable firearms security. The current essay puts that fact into a broader perspective–that the treatment of gun owner negligence is just one example among many where there are special laws that often protect gun manufacturers, gun dealers, gun owners and gun users.

Hemenway D. Gun exceptionalism. Florida Law Review Forum. 2016; 68:45-50.

A national panel of content experts for the American College of Emergency Physicians Research Committee decided on 59 emergency medicine-relevant empirical research questions that could help inform ED physicians in their work. .

Ranney ML, Fletcher J, Alter H, …Miller M…et al. A consensus-driven agenda for emergency medicine firearm injury prevention research. Annals of Emergency Medicine. 2017 Feb 28;69(2):227-40.

Cunningham RM, Carter PM, Zimmerman MA, Ranney ML, Walton M, Zeoli AM, Alpern ER, Brandas 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, Siegal E, Savolainen J. Consensus-driven research agenda from FACTS consortium on the prevention of firearm injuries among children and adolescents. JAMA-Pediatrics. 2019; 173:780-789.

This scoping review of what is known about the severity of the problem includes not only death, disability and direct medical costs, but includes costs to families, friends, and the community. The more indirect costs include grief, fear, hopelessness and PTSD, along with community efforts to prepare for and prevent the shootings, such as target hardening of schools and active shooter drills.

Hemenway D, Nelson E. The scope of the problem. Gun violence in the USA. Current Trauma Reports. 2020; 6:29-35.

A scoping review of empirical peer-reviewed journal articles in PubMed 2000-2019 showed more than a 300% increase. The number of articles supported by foundations (led by the Joyce Foundation) was greater than the number funded by federal grants. The amount of firearm research has been increasing rapidly in recent years but is still small in relation to the size of the problem.

Gurrey S, McCauley H, Benson M, Prabhu P, Fan MD, Rivara FP, Hemenway D, Miller M, Azrael D, Rowhani-Rahbar A. Firearm-related research articles in health sciences by funding status and type: a scoping review. Preventive Medicine Reports. 2021; 24:101604.

Using data from the National Crime Victimization Surveys (2009-2019), we examined the likelihood of post-crime emotional and physical problems for the victim. Controlling for type of crime, multiple offenders, and victim demographics, gun crime victims were more likely to suffer at least one of seven emotional symptoms (e.g., anxious, angry, depressed) and at least one of seven physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, drinking disorders, high blood pressure). These post-crime problems are part of the true costs of gun crime.

Vargas EW, Hemenway D. Emotional and physical symptoms after gun victimization in the US: 2009-2019. Preventive Medicine. 2021; 143:106374

Using Chicago data 2012-2016, we found that 10 degrees centigrade higher temperatures were associated with 34% more shootings, controlling for weekends, holidays and other non-school days. Perhaps air-conditioning and summer programs could help keep youth busy and inside.

Reeping R, Hemenway D. Chicago weather and shootings. Injury Epidemiology. 2020; 7:31.

Why are motor vehicles becoming continuously safer? As the idea of continuous quality improvement became a staple in medicine, we should similarly have a focus on how to create a system that leads to continuous reductions in firearm violence.

Hemenway D, Lee L. A lesson from the continuing 21st century motor vehicle success story. Injury Prevention. 2022; 28:480-482.