For every 10-point increase in a gun control score, firearm-related mortality in children decreased by 4%.
Firearm-related injury is the second leading cause of death in U.S. children. Individual states vary in the strictness of firearm safety legislation. In the current cross-sectional study, researchers used the Gun Law Scorecard developed by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence to examine whether stricter state gun laws are associated with reduced pediatric firearm mortality.
All data were for the period 2011 to 2015. Using U.S. Census and CDC data, state-specific firearm-related mortality rates were calculated among 21,241 children (aged <21 years) who died of firearm-related injuries (87% were boys). These rates ranged from 1 to 18 per 100,000 children. Gun ownership by state ranged from 5% to 62%.
States with higher gun law scores (i.e…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresGrant/Research SupportNIH Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality National Center for Pediatric Practice Based Research Learning; Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Editorial BoardsCurrent Problems in Pediatric Adolescent Healthcare
Leadership Positions in Professional Societies College of Physicians of Philadelphia (Board of Trustees)
DisclosuresGrant/Research SupportNIH Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality National Center for Pediatric Practice Based Research Learning; Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Editorial BoardsCurrent Problems in Pediatric Adolescent Healthcare
Leadership Positions in Professional Societies College of Physicians of Philadelphia (Board of Trustees)