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. 2000 Oct;90(10):1626–1628. doi: 10.2105/ajph.90.10.1626

Physician firearm ownership as a predictor of firearm injury prevention practice.

E C Becher 1, C K Cassel 1, E A Nelson 1
PMCID: PMC1446378  PMID: 11030001

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study explored the relation between physicians' gun ownership and their attitudes and practices regarding firearm injury prevention. METHODS: Internists and surgeons were surveyed, and logistic regression models were developed with physicians' personal involvement with firearms (in the form of a gun score) as the primary independent variable. RESULTS: Higher gun scores were associated with less agreement that firearm injury is a public health issue and that physicians should be involved in firearm injury prevention but with a greater likelihood of reporting the inclusion of firearm ownership and storage as part of patient safety counseling. CONCLUSIONS: Despite being less likely to say that doctors should participate in firearm injury prevention, physician gun owners are more likely than nonowners to report counseling patients about firearm safety.

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Selected References

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