Developing Data-Driven Solutions to Firearm Violence

Abstract

Purpose of Review: Firearm-related injuries remain a major public health crisis in the USA with significant impact on society. Communities nationwide have a growing need for solutions to mitigate the public health impact through data-driven innovative solutions built on the collective expertise of multiple stakeholders. Recent Findings: There is an overall increasing incidence of firearm-related injuries over the past couple of years with more severe injuries and a higher mortality rate. The best available data clearly shows that restrictive legislation, non-liberal licensing, comprehensive background checks, and responsible firearm ownership are associated with lower firearm injury rates. A nationwide firearm research infrastructure is also needed to verify the potential role of these solutions. Summary: Firearm-related injuries remain a multifaceted national public health crisis that imposes a significant burden on many medical and social systems. Multiple data-driven targeted interventions can address different dimensions of the problem.