A Roadmap for Using a Public Health Approach to Prevent Firearm Injury

November 28, 2023

Firearm-related injuries and deaths pose a significant public health concern, surpassing the annual mortality rate from car crashes in the United States. The widespread impact of such incidents includes not just the loss of lives and physical injury but the psychological trauma endured by millions who have lost loved ones to firearm injury or who live in constant fear of being shot.

Recognizing the complexity of the issue, health agencies advocate for a public health approach to address firearm violence, aiming to target underlying factors contributing to the well-being of Americans and to prevent future harm. This roadmap outlines a step-by-step guide for jurisdictions to enhance their efforts in firearm injury prevention, aligning with a modified version of the public health approach model developed by CDC and WHO.

By leveraging the successes of this approach in addressing various health issues, jurisdictions can strengthen their infrastructure to effectively integrate firearm injury and death prevention into broader public health initiatives.

Get the Report