Firearms in the home and child safety
P. J. Patterson and L. R. Smith
One hundred fifty families who were seen in the pediatric outpatient
clinics at The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, were surveyed
to learn about firearm possession in the home and its hazards to children.
Thirty-eight percent of these families kept at least one gun in their home.
Fifty-five percent of this group reported that the gun was loaded at all
times, and 10% reported that the gun was kept loaded, unlocked, and within
the reach of a child. We identified demographic characteristics of at-risk
families and considered national statistics for gun safety. It was
concluded that household firearms pose a significant risk to children and
that intervention by physicians could help reduce this public health
problem.
