Peer-reviewed article
Caregivers' reported views on firearm counseling.
Shah R, Smith S, Mirza M, Kadian S, Campbell BT et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This survey of 820 caregivers at a pediatric emergency department found that firearm-related injuries are the leading cause of death in children over one year old. Only 24% of parents recalled receiving firearm safety counseling in the past two years, though 56% thought pediatricians should provide it. Parents with firearms in their homes were more likely to have received safety counseling, and both police and pediatricians were trusted sources of information.
Key points
- 24.1% of caregivers recalled receiving firearm safety counseling in the past two years
- 56.1% of caregivers believe pediatricians should counsel parents on firearm safety
- 17.4% of respondents reported having a firearm in their home
- Caregivers with firearms were more likely to have received recent safety counseling
- Police (58.3%) and pediatricians (55.5%) were identified as highly trusted sources for firearm safety information
Limitations
This is a survey of caregiver recall and perceptions at a single pediatric emergency department in the US, so results may not represent all populations or regions. The study does not evaluate the effectiveness of any firearm counseling intervention itself.
Abstract
Background Firearm related injuries are the leading cause of death in children older than one year of age. Safety counseling and prevention are cornerstones of injury prevention. This survey study sought to assess caregivers' recollection of firearm safety counseling and who provided that counseling in the past two years. It further sought to determine whom they entrusted to provide this information, and their preferred modalities for future counseling. Secondary objectives included assessing the relationship between parental perspectives on who provided this counseling and how this counseling was provided based on presence of a firearm in the home. Methods A prospective cross-sectional survey was implemented at a single institution's pediatric emergency department. Parents of children birth-18 years of age were recruited between November 2020 through May 2022, in a private ED treatment room and the survey was administered using a handheld tablet. Excluded were parents of critically ill/injured children (ESI level 1) or those presenting with a primary psychiatric complaint such as suicidal ideation. Chi-square analyses were performed to assess differences in recollection and perception of firearm counseling measures between caregivers who owned a firearm and those who did not. Results A total of 820 of 1,181 of eligible caregivers were recruited (response rate of eligible caregivers: 69.4%). 24.1% of respondents recall receiving counseling on firearm safety within the last two years. 56.1% responded affirmatively that pediatricians ought to counsel parents/guardians on firearm safety. 17.4% reported having a firearm in their home, and these respondents were more likely to have received recent safety counseling. Police departments and pediatricians were the most trusted sources for information; with 58.3% and 55.5% of caregivers identifying them as a highly reputable source of such counseling respectively. Conclusions Parents are receptive to firearm related counseling by pediatricians and may benefit from learning about the AAP guidelines for firearm and ammunition storage.