Firearms more likely to be stored unsafely in households if adults misuse alcohol

Bottom Line: Firearm injuries and deaths among children are a public health issue. This study used telephone survey data from 5,200 people in Washington to describe how common firearms were in households with children in the state and to assess the association between children living in a home with a firearm stored unsafely and an adult who reported misusing alcohol. About 30 percent of children in the state lived in firearm-owning households and an estimated 55 percent of those children lived with a firearm not stored safely. Firearms were more likely to be stored unsafely in homes where an adult reported misusing alcohol. A limitation of the study is the likely underreporting of unsafe gun storage practices.

Authors: Erin R. Morgan, M.S., University of Washington, Seattle, and coauthors

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To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.3624)

Editor's Note: The article includes funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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