8 - 10Ĭhanges in gun purchases are one way in which these attitude changes after mass shootings may translate to behavior. 6, 7 Surveys have shown that most US citizens view mass shootings as indications of underlying societal issues, which have the power to alter people’s fear of victimization and perceptions of gun control policies. 5 As a result, the fear that mass shootings inspire in the public has been disproportionate to their frequency. 4 These shootings often receive high media coverage for instance, mass shootings such as the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting were voted the top news topic of 2012 by the Associated Press, higher even than the presidential election. 3 Nevertheless, these events offer an important lens for understanding connections between gun violence and public opinion, with implications for gun violence prevention as a whole.Īlthough relatively rare compared with other forms of gun violence, mass shootings are extremely high profile. 2 Mass shootings contribute to only a small fraction of this mortality and morbidity burden, at less than 1% of US firearm deaths. ![]() 1 In 2017, more deaths were attributable to firearm injuries than to motor vehicle traffic crashes (12.2 vs 11.9 deaths per 100 000 people). Gun violence in the United States constitutes a serious public health crisis, causing more than 30 000 deaths annually. Identification of media coverage and fatalities as significant factors underlying this association invites further study into the mechanisms driving gun purchase changes, holding implications for public health response to future gun violence. Higher-fatality shootings had an inverse association with handgun purchase decreases (odds ratio, 0.73 95% CI, 0.53-1.00 P = .049).Ĭonclusions and Relevance The findings of this study suggest an association between mass shootings and changes in gun purchases, observed on a comprehensive timescale. Shootings receiving extensive media coverage were associated with handgun purchase increases (odds ratio, 5.28 95% CI, 1.30-21.41 P = .02). A total of 26 shootings (21.0%) were associated with increases in gun purchases and 22 shootings (17.7%) were associated with decreases in gun purchasing. Results Between November 1998 and April 2016, 124 major mass shootings and 233 996 385 total background checks occurred. Main Outcomes and Measures Identification of major mass shootings significantly associated with changes in gun purchases, and the identification of event-specific factors associated with changes in gun purchases. In the logistic regression, examined factors were the shooter’s race/ethnicity, the region in the United States in which a shooting occurred, whether a shooting was school related, fatalities, handgun use, long gun use, automatic or semiautomatic gun use, media coverage level, and state political affiliation. Analyses were performed between June 6, 2016, and February 5, 2019.Įxposures For the time-series analysis, each mass shooting was modeled as an exposure. Then, logistic regression was used to identify event characteristics associated with changes in gun purchases. Interrupted autoregressive integrated moving average time-series modeling was used to identify events associated with changes in gun purchase volume. All mass shootings resulting in 5 or more individuals injured or killed during the study period were also identified. Objectives To test the hypothesis that mass shootings are associated with gun purchasing in the United States and to determine factors associated with gun purchasing changes.ĭesign and Setting In a cross-sectional study, monthly data on US background checks for all firearm purchases, handgun permits, and long gun permits between November 1, 1998, and April 30, 2016, were obtained from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. ![]() Importance Increased understanding of public response to mass shootings could guide public health planning regarding firearms. Shared Decision Making and Communication.Scientific Discovery and the Future of Medicine.Health Care Economics, Insurance, Payment.Clinical Implications of Basic Neuroscience.Challenges in Clinical Electrocardiography.
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