A critical review of the firearm injury prevention literature has uncovered that many physicians and healthcare professionals agree with and support firearm injury prevention counseling. However, beliefs do not necessarily equal action and few healthcare professionals actually deliver the interventions. This paper strives to a) discuss the best of current and future practices for firearm and non-powder gun injury prevention, b) suggest ways in which administration of curriculum may be facilitated and c) gather accurate information from future health care professionals [i.e.-residents] about their readiness to learn and deliver firearm/NPG injury prevention interventions. Information about relative risks associated with future firearm purchases, possession and use should become a part of a patient’s intake interview. The prevalence firearms play in the morbidity and mortality of Americans warrants this clinical attention. Content of intervention will include the following sections: understanding the contextual framework of gun ownership, risks associated with owning a gun, information about the latest firearms and safety devices, and facilitating physician-patient communication. Providers must push for inclusion of firearm safety counseling information in medical education and their health-care culture. Suggestions include peer-advocacy to reduce firearm-related injury. Whereas previous surveys have focused primarily on physicians or pediatric residents only, here residents in surgery, internal and emergency medicine received surveys before and after attending intervention training. Thus future physicians may help impact and strengthen firearm safety counseling content, delivery and adoption.
Learning Objectives: 1. Discuss core content for firearm safety counseling including relative risks, safety procedures and devices, and delivery methods. 2. Develop a plan to implement firearm safety counseling in their practice and curriculum in their institutions. 3. Recognize key patient/provider issues when delivering firearm safety counseling such as dynamics, privacy issues and information presentation.
Keywords: Firearms, Violence Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.