Tackling the Increasing Public Health Impact of Firearms: A Call to Action

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Authors:

• Lotus Alphonsus (Western University)
• Rachel Filler (Ottawa University),
• Rachel Strauss (University of Toronto),
• Theshani Amalka De Silva (Western University)
• Julia Kobylianski (Queen’s University)

Background: ​

The incidence of gun violence in Canada has been increasing with an 81% rise in violent offenses involving guns since 2009. One in three homicides is now firearms related.¹The issue extends beyond what is publicized in the news with the RCMP reporting 80% of firearm deaths in Canada being attributed to suicide.² Consider the Femicide observatory data: about 2 women per week are killed in Canada.  In some years, the most frequent method of killing is by gun.  The presence of a gun in the home makes it about 3.5X more likely that a woman will die in a domestic violence situation and that an adolescent will die in a suicide attempt than if a gun is not in the home. It is clear, firearm related injuries or deaths, whether unintentional or intentional, are preventable. Although this is a preventable public health issue, medical students and medical professionals receive minimal to no education on firearm injuries, prevention of injury and how they can advocate for change both at the community and systems level. Additionally, despite the impact on our communities, there are many knowledge and research gaps in our understanding of gun violence, especially as it pertains to the Canadian landscape.

Recommendations: 

• In collaboration with the OMSA, individual Faculties of Medicine should improve awareness of the increasing impact of firearm injury and death, frame the issue as a biopsychosocial public health issue and equip medical students with the knowledge to address firearms related issues.
• Implement formalized education or training opportunities pertaining to the evolving roles and responsibilities of physicians in protecting the safety of patients in relation to firearm injury prevention.
• Health professionals, including those in training should advocate with government to study and introduce evidence-informed legislation. The government should introduce legislation to reduce the prevalence of firearms, such as restrictions on gun ownership and a strategic approach to reduce the illegal sale of guns and the importation of firearms from other jurisdictions.
• Increase federal and provincial funding to support research related to: firearm-related epidemiology, the impacts of the social determinants of health on the prevalence and impacts of gun violence, and evidence-based strategies and legislation that reduce firearm related injuries and deaths.
• The government should implement proactive measures and have greater focus on addressing the root causes of violence in communities.