Firearm Injury Prevention Activities

Second Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention

Forty-six leading medical and public health professional organizations across the United States have come together to push for a comprehensive public health approach to advance firearm injury prevention efforts through education, advocacy, and community-centered approaches to address this growing problem. These efforts stem from the second Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention, held in September 2022. Learn more about the full proceedings of the Summit.

Successful Community Violence-Prevention Programs

A number of programs around the country have been successful in establishing violence-prevention initiatives in their communities to address firearm violence at the local level. Contact the ACS Office of Public Information to learn more.

Experts Available

Authors of the Summit proceedings article appearing the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) are available to speak with the media. Contact the ACS Office of Public Information to arrange an interview.

Eileen M. Bulger, MD, FACS

Dr. Bulger organized the second Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention. She is Medical Director, ACS Trauma Programs, and chief of surgery at Harborview Medical Center, Seattle.

Joseph V. Sakran, MD, MPH, MPA, FACS

Dr. Sakran is lead author of the Summit proceedings article published in JACS. He is a firearm violence survivor and a trauma surgeon at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

“Effective healthcare is not just about treating the wounds of firearm violence, but also preventing them in the first place. By addressing the root causes of violence and providing education and support, healthcare professionals can play a crucial role in preventing firearm violence and promoting a safer, healthier society.”

Eileen M. Bulger, MD, FACS

“Preventing firearm violence requires a multifaceted approach, one that includes not only common-sense firearm legislation, but also addressing the underlying social and economic factors that contribute to it.”

Joseph V. Sakran, MD, MPH, MPA, FACS

Other ACS Firearm Injury Prevention Activities

ACS Supports Bipartisan Senate Legislation (S. 2938) to Make Firearm Ownership and Communities Safer

June 23, 2022

The ACS voiced its support for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938), introduced in the Senate earlier this week.

The ACS Calls for Urgent, Bipartisan Action to Address Firearm Violence Public Health Crisis

June 2, 2022

Surgeons treating victims of firearm violence highlight 13 recommendations from ACS Firearms Strategy Team that can reduce deaths and serious injuries

Trauma Informed Care Can Help Break the Cycle of Violence

July 30, 2021

Multidisciplinary American College of Surgeons ISAVE group proposes strategies for trauma centers to address root causes of violence

Proceedings from Inaugural Medical Summit on Firearm Injury Prevention

May 20, 2019

A consensus of 42 professional organizations on a constructive approach to reduce injury, disability, and death from firearm violence in the US.

Recommendations to Reduce Firearm Injury, Death, and Disability Released by ACS Workgroup

November 14, 2018

Public safety recommendations developed by trauma surgeons and firearm owners to make firearm ownership safer for all Americans.

ACS COT Firearm Injury Prevention Activities

The ACS Committee on Trauma has created comprehensive approaches and resources for reducing firearm injuries.

The Facts about Firearm Violence

Firearm Violence since 2019

23% increase in firearm-related injuries overall since 2019
46% increase in firearm-related homicides since 2019

Source: http://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10-provisional.html

Firearm Violence during the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

28.4% increase in firearm-related deaths
34.3% increase in non-fatal firearm injuries

Source: Sun S, Cao W, Ge Y, Siegel M, Wellenius GA. Analysis of Firearm Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Apr 1;5(4):e229393.

Firearm-Related Deaths

There were 45,222 firearm-related deaths in the U.S. in 2020.
An average of 124 people died each day from a firearm-related injury that year.
More than half of the firearm-related deaths were suicides.
More than 4 out of every 10 of these deaths were firearm homicides.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/firearms/fastfact.html

Homicides Involving Firearms

In 2020, there were 13,620 gun homicides and non-negligent manslaughters.
Handguns were involved in 59% of these deaths.
Rifles, including "assault rifles," were involved in 3% of firearm homicides.

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/02/03/what-the-data-says-about-gun-deaths-in-the-u-s/

The Leading Cause of Death among Children and Adolescents

In 2020, firearm injuries became the leading cause of death among children and adolescents (persons 1 to 19 years of age).
In 2020, firearm-related injuries surpassed motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of death for this age group.
The relative increase, from 2019 to 2020, in the rate of firearm-related deaths in this age group was 29.5% (more than twice as high as the relative increase in the general population).

Source: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2201761

Healthcare Costs of Gun Injuries

Hospital costs for initial gun injury care are just over $1 billion per year (according to hospital data from 2016 and 2017).
There are about 30,000 hospital stays and about 50,000 emergency room visits each year related to gun injuries.

Source: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-515