What’s the news: The AMA Firearm Injury Prevention Task Force has collaborated with the Ad Council and health care leaders on a new digital resource hub to equip physicians and other health professionals with the educational tools to help counsel patients about firearm safety.
The hub draws from the AMA and other evidence-based sources and includes videos, fact sheets, toolkits and conversation guides for physicians to educate patients and their families about the risks associated with unsecured firearms and best practices to help reduce injuries and deaths.
The AMA declared gun violence a public health crisis in 2016. In 2022, the AMA formed its task force, which includes representation from 14 national medical specialty societies as well as several other liaison organizations. The task force has been focused on informing the development of tools and resources for physicians and medical students on firearm-injury prevention to increase counseling of high-risk patients and awareness of available interventions.
The Ad Council’s “Agree to Agree” gun-violence prevention initiative was launched in February to provide tangible, nonpartisan actions that can help decrease the impact of gun-related tragedies on children and teens throughout the country.
Why it’s important: The campaign takes a public health approach and aims to address the fact that firearm injuries have been the leading cause of death for U.S. children from 1–17 years old. The first phase of the campaign focused on parents and those with youth in their lives—relatives, caregivers and neighbors.
The resources launched in the second phase focus on the physicians and health professionals who are on the front lines treating patients affected by this crisis and who are trusted messengers for patients' health and safety.
“In cities and towns—rural and urban—physicians treat patients and families afflicted by firearm injuries every day. To help reduce injuries and deaths, we must focus on prevention,” said Toluwalase A. Ajayi, MD. She is the chair-elect of the AMA Board of Trustees and co-chair of the AMA Firearm Injury Prevention Task Force.
“That’s why we’re providing resources to help health care professionals feel confident in talking with patients about firearm safety,” Dr. Ajayi said in a statement. “We encourage physicians to include questions about firearm ownership and secure storage practices as part of routine patient care and child well visits, just as we ask about pool safety and car safety seats. Doing so will normalize conversations on this topic and save lives.”
In addition to the digital resource hub, “Agree to Agree” is introducing a new public service announcement (PSA) that compares the need for firearm safety to other common parenting interventions such as limiting screen time, using car seats and protecting children from household hazards. The new PSAs will air nationwide across donated media, reaching digital and social outlets.
The AMA and national medical specialty societies support counseling patients on firearm safety. However, it’s a topic that some doctors find challenging to address. Barriers to physician counseling on firearm safety include lack of time, lack of awareness, or concerns about potential impacts on the physician-patient relationship. As a result, 86% of adults told KFF that they have never been approached by a physician to discuss this topic.
Research shows that people are receptive to the idea, with two-thirds of all patients—and 54% of gun owners—telling researchers they believe it is appropriate for physicians and other health professionals to discuss firearms. In fact, patients are likelier to adopt safe-storage practices if their physician talks to them about it.
Learn more: The hub appears on the AgreeToAgree.org/HealthCare website. Funding partners include the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as hospitals/health systems and other stakeholders include the American College of Physicians, American College of Surgeons.
Physician education on this topic developed by the AMA Firearm Injury Prevention Task Force is also available on the AMA Ed Hub™. For example, the webinar “Health Care Strategies for Firearm Injury Prevention” will help physicians and other learners:
- Describe the epidemiology of firearm morbidity and mortality in the U.S.
- Summarize how physicians and health systems are normalizing firearm safety counseling.
- Explain how multidisciplinary programs identify patients at risk of repeat violent injury and integrate hospital and community-based resources to address underlying risk factors.
